Changing futures through our Rotary partnership

Rotary Clubs and Districts from across Australia and New Zealand generously donated $496,921 to Interplast across the 2015/2016 financial year. Interplast deeply appreciates the many Rotary clubs and districts which have made significant financial contributions, and wishes to recognise those which have been directly applied to specific program activities in the 2015-16 financial year.

These programs have been delivered in countries including Papua New Guinea, Laos, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Kiribati, as well as scholarships for medical personnel from Fiji and Indonesia to undertake training in Australia.

The below list includes all Rotary clubs and districts who generously supported Interplast in the 2015-16 financial year.

In the 2015-16 financial year, a number of program activities were partially or fully funded by Rotary clubs and districts, as outlined below. Please note that programs may not be delivered in the same financial year as funds received.

Interplast volunteer surgeon Dr Raminder Dhillon with PNG surgical trainee Dr Maire

The Rotary Club of Balwyn provided full funding for a surgical mentoring program to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in July 2015. This activity supported two volunteer plastic and reconstructive surgeons to deliver a week of clinical training to the surgical trainees and Masters students at the Port Moresby General Hospital, focused on burns, tendon injuries and skin grafting. As a part of this teaching, 15 surgical cases were reviewed and 4 complex cases were operated on as teaching cases. To read more about our programs in PNG, click here.

Fijian physio Alena with Australian colleagues and mentors in Hobart.

Rotary District 9685 provided full funding to support a scholarship for a Fijian physiotherapist, Alena Lawena, to undertake two weeks of training and mentoring in Hobart and Melbourne, hosted by volunteer Interplast allied health therapists, in September 2015. This included time spent at the Royal Hobart and Hobart Private hospitals, as well as the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. To read more about our programs in Fiji, click here.

Drs Kartika and Agustantina from Indonesia, with Interplast staff in Melbourne

Rotary District 9780 provided full-funding to support a scholarship for two anaesthetists from Surabaya in Indonesia to undertake a one-month training placement in Australia in September 2015. This included time spent hosted by the Ballarat Health Services, and visits to various hospitals in Melbourne. They were also supported to attend the Australian Society of Anaesthetists Annual Scientific Meeting in Darwin, during their visit. This program was supported and overseen by Interplast volunteer anaesthetist, and RD9780 member Dr John Oswald. To read more about our programs in Indonesia, click here.

Interplast volunteer nurse educators Mbene and Nicole with local nursing personnel in Kiribati

The Rotary Club of Brighton provided partial funding for a one-week nurse education program to Tarawa, Kiribati, in November 2015. This activity was delivered by two volunteer Interplast nurse educators, based at the Tungaru Central Hospital. The training was focused on the ward nurses, and included teaching modules on basic life support, wound management, infection control and pain management. It included a combination of classroom-based and practical teaching. To read more about our programs in Kiribati, click here.

Interplast and WIG volunteers with a young Lao patient requiring treatment for burns.

Rotary District 9810 provided partial funding for the annual general plastic and reconstructive surgical visit to Vientiane, Laos, in February 2016. This two week program, including 7 Interplast volunteers (2 surgeons, 2 anaesthetists and 3 nurses), included delivery of important training for local surgeons, anaesthetic and nursing staff. During this visit, 177 patients were assessed by the visiting team, and 91 life changing surgical procedures were undertaken. These procedures included cleft lip and palate repairs and treatment of acute burns and contracted burns scars. Local NGO Women’s International Group (WIG) also played a significant role in the delivery of this activity. To read more about our programs in Laos, click here.

Interplast volunteer breast care nurse Rebecca, demonstrating breast self-assessment to Solomon Islander women in Honiara.

Rotary District 9820 provided full funding for a one-week nurse education program to Honiara, Solomon Islands, in February 2016. This activity was delivered by two volunteer Interplast nurse educators and one volunteer Interplast breast care nurse, based at the National Referral Hospital. The training focused on a number of areas, including diabetes management, basic life support, wound assessment and care and pain assessment and management. In response to a growing area of need, this program also focused on early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer – teaching both nursing staff and women in the community about breast self-assessment and the importance of early treatment. To read more about our programs in the Solomon Islands, click here.

Baby Grace and her mum, following Grace’s cleft lip repair, with Interplast volunteer anaesthetist Philippa.

Rotary District 9455 provided full funding for the annual general plastic and reconstructive surgical visit to Labasa, Fiji, in March 2016. This one week program, including 6 Interplast volunteers (2 surgeons, 2 anaesthetists and 2 nurses), included delivery of important training for local surgeons, anaesthetic and nursing staff. During this visit, 34 life changing surgical procedures were undertaken. These procedures included cleft lip and palate repairs and treatment of acute burns and contracted burns scars. To read more about our programs in Fiji, click here.

Interplast volunteer anaesthetist Moira, along with local colleagues, on a ward round at the Port Moresby General Hospital.

The Rotary Club of Boroko provided partial funding for a surgical and nurse mentoring program to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in April 2016. This activity supported 3 Interplast volunteers – one plastic and reconstructive surgeon, one anaesthetist and one nurse, to deliver a week of clinical training and mentoring to the surgical trainees, nursing and anaesthetic staff at the Port Moresby General Hospital. As a part of this teaching, 24 surgical cases were reviewed and 7 complex cases were operated on as teaching cases, including acute burns, secondary burns scar contractures, and complex upper-limb reconstruction. Lectures and small-group mentoring were also delivered to local ward nurses, focused on the basics of plastic surgery nursing and clinical handover. To read more about our programs in PNG, click here.

Surgeons from around the Pacific Islands participate in the Interplast clinical flap workshop in Apia, Samoa

The Rotary Club of Ryde, through a Rotary Foundation Vocational Training Team, provided full funding for an advanced, applied reconstructive surgical skills workshop for the Pacific Islands, hosted in Apia, Samoa, in April 2016. This workshop, which was a first for Interplast and for the Pacific region, brought together 13 surgeons and surgical trainees from around the Pacific Islands. It was facilitated by a faculty of volunteer Interplast surgeons from Australia & New Zealand, as well as Interplast-trained Fijian plastic surgeon Dr Matanaicake. The workshop was run over 3 days, including lectures, workshops, ward rounds, case discussions and theatre time. 3 patients received complex reconstructive surgery as part of this training. To learn more about our work across the Pacific, click here.

Interplast volunteer surgeon Dr Zac Moaveni with a young patient and his mum, following surgery in Honiara.

Rotary District 9830 provided full funding for the annual general plastic and reconstructive surgical visit to Honiara in the Solomon Islands in June 2016. This 10 day program, was delivered by 5 Interplast volunteers (2 surgeons, 1 anaesthetists and 2 nurses), and included delivery of important training for local surgeons, anaesthetic and nursing staff. During this visit, 36  life changing surgical procedures were undertaken. These procedures included cleft lip and palate repairs, treatment of acute burns and contracted burns scars and reconstruction of upper and lower limb trauma. To read more about our programs in the Solomon Islands, click here.

Interplast volunteer physiotherapist Shirley teaching local allied health staff techniques in splinting for post-operative rehabilitation.

The Rotary Clubs of Mornington & Mt Eliza provided full funding for an allied health assessment and training visit to the National Referral Hospital in Honiara, Solomon Islands, in June 2016. This visit, which ran alongside a visiting Interplast surgical team, enabled Interplast to assess local resources and facilities in allied health, particularly in hand therapy related to plastic and reconstructive surgery patients, and provide important training to local therapists. The assessment and training was delivered by volunteer Interplast hand therapist Shirley (pictured), and was the first of its kind for Interplast in the Solomon Islands. Based on the outcomes, Interplast plans to deliver ongoing training in this area at the request of local partners in Honiara, where funding is available. To read more about our programs in the Solomon Islands, click here.