A shipping container full of donated medical and surgical equipment was loaded today 19th January 2019, and will be shipped to the Solomon Islands later this month.
This was only possible due to the generous donations and support from the recent DAISI Charity Ball, as well as the support of our sister charity partners MedEarth, ANZGITA, Horten Medical and Berrima District Rotary.
Special thanks goes to Laura Taitz (7th from left) and Rebecca Truong from MedEarth, logistician Barry Barford (Berrima District Rotary), Mark Taffa and family (right) (Horten Medical), a number of DAISI volunteers, Teneki Friend and Dr Erick Fuentes) for planning and involvement on the day.
ANZGITA, also donated vital endoscopic equipment for use at National Referral Hospital (NRH) as well as contributing to the transportation costs.
The 20 foot shipping container of medical equipment will be sent to Honiara, and from there to National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara, Gizo Hospital (Western Province) and Kilu ‘ufi Hospital (Malaita Province).
DAISI would also like to thank Sydney Cruise Ship Storage for their support and use of their warehouse space.
Although it was the original intention to also pack and send a container to the Highlands of PNG, due to the remoteness of the Highlands it was decided to instead send this equipment by air freight. An operating microscope from Horten Medical and laparoscopic equipment from The Wesley Hospital, Brisbane will go to Sopas District Hospital in the remote Enga Province Highlands of PNG by air freight in time for a planned laparoscopic training session which will be conducted by colorectal surgeon from Brisbane Dr Carina Chow in March this year.
Dr Daniel Kozman is a colorectal surgeon from Sydney with a strong passion for developing world surgery and has done a number of DAISI teaching trips to the Solomon Islands introducing laparoscopic surgery. He can be contacted by email (staff@daisi.com.au)
