OOH to send two more doctors for training in Singapore

The Operation Open Heart (OOH) will be sending two more medical staff to undergo training at the National Heart Centre Singapore.

They’re Dr Elizabeth Alok to train as a cardiac surgeon and Dr Terry Maino as a cardiologist.

The pair will leave for Singapore later this year for 12 months training.

OOH has so far sent 12 medical staff to the NHCS over the years for training with plans underway to send more local staff in the future.

NHCS clinical associate Professor Kenny Sin Yoong Kong says they had a request to train the Papua New Guinean team with the aim to make the PNG team self-sufficient and independent.

The PNG medical staff trained so far at NHCS include two cardiologists, one cardiac surgeon, two prefusionist, six nurses and one echo technician.

Professor Kong and his team of nine members were recently in the country to assist local staff carry out open heart surgery on nine patients.

Professor Kong said at this stage now, they have an entire local team that is trained to handle complex heart surgeries.

 “This latest trip that we’ve come, basically we have been very hands off.

“Local cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Noah Tapaua and his team have been working very hard while our 10 staffs have been mostly observing the surgeries and assisting where we can.

“The local team is fully trained and is well knowledgeable from the pre-operative intensive care, the cardiac surgery and post-operative intensive care,” Professor Kong said.

Professor Kong stressed that the local team is fairly self – sufficient and is able to carry out an operation on its own.

 

Author: 
Quintina Naime