Tonga
Tongan nurses practising snaring of polyps using a piece of bread
The Kingdom of Tonga is an island nation in the south Pacific comprising 169 islands spread over 700,000 square kilometres (slightly smaller than New South Wales) of which 36 are inhabited. It has a population of 100,000 of whom 70% reside on the main island of Tongatapu. Tonga stretches across approximately 800 kilometres in a north-south line. It neighbours include Fiji to the west, Samoa and Niue. It is about 1,800 kilometres from New Zealand's North Island.
With the support of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the DFAT Partnership in Pacific (PIP) program, Endoscopy Training was conducted in Tonga from 12-16 November, 2018. Dr Greg Lockrey and gastroenterology nurse Ms Karen Kempin conducted training on endoscopic procedures, including the management of gastric bleeding, variceal banding, balloon dilation, polypectomy, injection, foreign body removal. Tongan nurses and clinicians participated in classroom training and were also able to practise on live cases.
With the support of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the DFAT Partnership in Pacific (PIP) program, Endoscopy Training was conducted in Tonga from 12-16 November, 2018. Dr Greg Lockrey and gastroenterology nurse Ms Karen Kempin conducted training on endoscopic procedures, including the management of gastric bleeding, variceal banding, balloon dilation, polypectomy, injection, foreign body removal. Tongan nurses and clinicians participated in classroom training and were also able to practise on live cases.