PNG Communities in Sepik to Benefit from Free Surgical Program by Australian Specialist Doctors
PNG communities across the Sepik region will again benefit from a major medical outreach as up to 40 patients are scheduled for free reconstructive surgery at the West Sepik Provincial Hospital in Vanimo next week. The effort is part of an ongoing partnership between Frieda River Limited (FRL) and Interplast.
A volunteer team of highly trained surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, and therapists will fly in from Australia to join PNG medical staff from November 22 to 28. Patients presenting with cleft lip deformities, birth defects, burns, trauma injuries, and upper-limb complications will receive treatment at no cost.
FRL Country Manager Dr Joel Hamago said demand for specialist surgery remains high throughout PNG and described the outreach as a “mission of compassion and community commitment” aimed at helping people who have long waited for surgical support.
The Vanimo program represents the second year of a three-year partnership between FRL and Interplast. A similar round of operations was held earlier this year in Wewak, where 29 procedures were carried out for 25 patients. In 2024, the partnership also provided 17 surgeries and delivered training for 50 PNG medical personnel. The next Wewak visit is planned for February 2026.
Interplast, accredited by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, delivers free reconstructive procedures and specialist training across 17 Asia-Pacific countries.
Also read
Post a Comment