PACT Update 2024

The Pacific Anaesthesia Training Programme (PACT) is an NZSA Global Health Committee (GHC) initiative started in 2019 by NZSA GHC member Dr Indu Kapoor with support from GHC members Dr Dom Johnpillai and Dr Petra Linden Ross. Regular small donations (about the cost of a cup of coffee a week) by Aotearoa anaesthetists and their friends are used to provide PACT scholarships to Pacific anaesthetists. These scholarships support Pacific anaesthetists to undertake Masters in Anaesthesia training in the Pacific, thus supporting the vulnerable anaesthesia workforce. If you’d like to know more, or make a donation you can visit the PACT page on the NZSA website here.

The PACT programme is currently supporting five fellows across the Pacific region thanks to the support of donors, the Seelye Trust, Interplast, and The Pacific Community Communauté du Pacifique (SPC).

This is a significant milestone in the programme’s goal to help in the development of a safe, sustainable anaesthesia workforce across the Pacific region. The GHC hopes to increase the number of anaesthetists with a Masters of Medicine in Anaesthesia (MMed) in the Pacific to six more than local funding can support by 2027.

Dr Sweta Mudaliar from Fiji completed her final year of the MMed programme this year and has begun transitioning to a junior consultant role.

“The PACT funding, Seelye Trust, and the NZSA’s support have been invaluable in supporting me through this critical transition phase. It has allowed me to fully engage in my final training requirements and prepare confidently for independent practice. I feel deeply grateful for this support.”

“As I step into this role, I anticipate that the advanced skills and knowledge gained will directly benefit my career and my country’s healthcare system. By improving my expertise in managing critical cases and strengthening my understanding of the role of anaesthesia in perioperative care, I am better prepared to serve as a mentor and educator to future trainees, improving overall patient care quality.”

Alongside completing the requirements of her training, a highlight for Sweta this year was performing a thoracic epidural to manage a high-risk patient undergoing upper abdominal surgery. “This is a rare procedure in my country due to the unavailability of epidural kits. This procedure was a valuable experience in refining my technique and enhancing patient comfort and recovery. For future trainees, additional mentorship opportunities or peer support networks could further enhance the experience, allowing us to support one another through the unique challenges and triumphs of this journey.”