The medical facility

It's been pointed out to me I haven't talked about my place of work. The medical facility provides all medical services to members of RAMSI and also about 900 civilians on the "dependants list" These include members of the various high commissions etc. As we provide for all medical needs there is a Primary Health Center (PHC) which has two GPs, and Dentist and assistant and a paediatric nurse. The Paed. nurse also holds clinics weekly in the large (6000) quasi refugee camp called Burns Creek just outside Honiara where the less-than-welcome Malaitans live. Also within the PHC is a medical laboratory where almost all tests are carried out in-house. Unusual or particularly complex tests are done in Brisbane with samples sent twice a week.

We have a 10 bed hospital ward including two isolation rooms for contagious patients. This is constantly staffed by two nurses and a doctor. These areas are supported by a pharmacy, store and laundry. As well as the ward we have a resuscitation ward with two bays. In this area are the paramedic and management offices.

The facility also has an environmental health division which constantly samples and tests the water, food and environment. They investigate sources of disease and run mosquito control programs each evening.

At the centre of the medical facility is a very impressive, multi million dollar expanding semi-trailer affectionately known as Lorna. Lorna is a mobile surgical theatre allowing major invasive surgery. Also within Lorna is a radiography suite for x-rays and a one bed intensive care unit/recovery area.

The last (and if you ask me most impressive) part of the facility is off base. That is my ambulance, 12 tonne SuperPuma helicopter which is capable of carrying four patients with two medical staff. We also have access to a 2 Bell412 (Iroquois) and a Twin Otter fixed wing aircraft.

A rough list of staff include (in no particular order)...

1 Surgeon

1 Anaesthetist

1 Aeromedical evacuation doctor

2 GPs

1 Dentist

1 Dental assistant

2 Theatre nurses

2 Intensive Care Unit Nurses

4 Ward nurses

1 Paediatric nurse

1 Public health nurse

4 Paramedics

2 Environmental officers

1 Medical scientist

1 In-country Manager

1 Deputy In-country manager

As well as these people the true backbone of the medical facility are the Locally Employed Contractors (LECs) Amongst these are Laundry ladies, receptionists, executive assistants, gardeners, ambulance drivers and security men who guard the houses of those not living in the King Solomon Hotel.

Finally a little about my job. My principal role is to conduct and manage Aero Medical Evacuations (AMEs). I work with a Doctor who is really good at recognising that he has a set of medical skills with which I assist, but he is not a scene manager or communications officer. As well as assisting the doctor with stabilisation, treatment and monitoring of the patient I liaise with the aircrew, air traffic operations center (ATOC), in-country manager, patient and anyone who may be at the landing zone. Additionally during recent times of trouble we paramedics have been stationed remotely at sites identified as trouble spots such as the Prison, Parliament House and the recently burnt down and rebuilt Casino Hotel (Chinese owned). There we established landing zones, coordinated AMEs, triaged parients and provided situation reports. When not busy doing all of the above (or emailing for hours on end) we assist on the ward.

The photos below are...

1. The evening fogging for mosquitos - I'm reliably informed it probably isn't DDT

2. The outside of Lorna

3. Lorna's operating theatre

4. My ambulance in its garage