MAITLAND HOSPITAL STAFF – VANUATU AID MISSION

Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland—Minister for Regional Transport and Roads)—Thank you to the hardworking team of Maitland Hospital Emergency Department staff who travelled to Vanuatu, in their own time, to provide health care, equipment and education to the community of Vanuatu. The trip was organised by emergency staff specialist Dr Sherozina Sharma who has undertaken several solo medical missions over the last 9 years. Dr Sharma gathered a team of six staff members including two emergency department physicians, three registrars and a nurse practitioner. They partnered with the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and Medical Santo Clinic to help build the capacity of the local health system and provide immediate medical care to the community. Over the two week trip the team treated and educated more than 250 residents and health workers with medical outreach, simulated teaching sessions, identified simple solutions to improve patient outcomes. To support this mission the staff of Maitland Hospital raised over $4000 to donate medical equipment to Vanuatu, and planning is already underway for 2024. My sincerest thanks to Dr Sharma and her team for all of their hard work and generosity.