Papua New Guinea Program
Nursing Director, Dianne Jones (L), and Programs Leader, Kate Napthali, during the assessment visit
Due to changing priorities, training did not start in Papua New Guinea in late 2019 as was originally planned. A start date as part of the Clinical Support Program - administered by RACS and funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) - has not been determined. Also, COVID-19 cases will have an effect on the program's roll out.
While there are no reliable burden of disease figures to rely on, local clinicians describe a high rate of presentation of upper abdominal pain, upper GI haemorrhage, high rates of Hepatitis B with all its complications, chronic diarrhoea and an increasing rate of GI malignancies – pharyngeal, oesophageal, gastric, liver and colon – all of which can be better managed with more accurate early diagnosis that would come with improved gastroenterology services.
Dr Kate Napthali, who has work experience in PNG and was on the ANZGITA assessment team which visited in 2019, has been appointed PNG Programs Leader. A background paper for trainers has been prepared by her. At present there is no formal gastroenterology service at Port Moresby General or ANGAU (Lae) hospitals and none of the physicians have an interest in the speciality. This is unusual when ANZGITA first engages with a new partner. What endoscopy is undertaken is done by the surgical teams.
While there are no reliable burden of disease figures to rely on, local clinicians describe a high rate of presentation of upper abdominal pain, upper GI haemorrhage, high rates of Hepatitis B with all its complications, chronic diarrhoea and an increasing rate of GI malignancies – pharyngeal, oesophageal, gastric, liver and colon – all of which can be better managed with more accurate early diagnosis that would come with improved gastroenterology services.
Dr Kate Napthali, who has work experience in PNG and was on the ANZGITA assessment team which visited in 2019, has been appointed PNG Programs Leader. A background paper for trainers has been prepared by her. At present there is no formal gastroenterology service at Port Moresby General or ANGAU (Lae) hospitals and none of the physicians have an interest in the speciality. This is unusual when ANZGITA first engages with a new partner. What endoscopy is undertaken is done by the surgical teams.