Shared challenges – My time locuming at Vaiola Hospital, Tonga
As I reflect on the past year of kōrero within our profession, much of it has centred around how we safeguard our workforce while ensuring equitable care for all New Zealanders. Against this backdrop, it was an immense privilege to spend last week locuming at Vaiola Hospital in Tonga, as part of the PSA Conference locum system so ably organised by the Global Health Committee, with special thanks to Dr Indu Kapoor. An immense thank you to all of the volunteers who locumed across the Pacific, helping facilitate attendance at the PSA conference in Fiji for local anaesthetists. This opportunity reminded me of the shared challenges we face in our region, but also of the power of collaboration and service in strengthening anaesthesia care across the Pacific.
My time in Tonga was both humbling and inspiring. I had the privilege of working alongside the immensely talented Dr Selesia Fifita and her dedicated team of anaesthesia trainees, surgeons, and nurses. A special shout out to Dr Amanaki Puniani and Dr Meleana Huakau. When these incredible doctors come to Aotearoa for further anaesthesia training, they will be an asset to the departments that welcome them. While the inequities in access to care for our Pacific colleagues are stark, their ingenuity and resourcefulness shine through. A powerful example of this is Dr Fifita’s development of the Pacific’s first Major Haemorrhage Pathway. This system uses a coordinated phone tree, radio, and even social media to rapidly source fresh whole blood in an emergency. It has already saved lives, particularly in obstetric cases, and is a testament to what can be achieved through teamwork, innovation, and sheer determination.
I want to briefly shine a light on the pathway that Pacific trainees go through via the Master of Medicine (MMed) in Anaesthesia at Fiji National University. This structured training pathway is building the next generation of Pacific anaesthetists, equipping them to serve their communities with skill and leadership. As a community, we can continue to support this by donating to the Pacific Anaesthesia Collaborative Training (PACT) programme, which provides financial support to Pacific trainees during their training. These contributions directly strengthen anaesthesia services in the region, and I encourage members to consider how they might contribute.
As we look ahead, there is plenty to be excited about. Over the coming months we will be continuing kōrero with Health NZ, rolling out some of the great ideas that came from our recent strategy day, and coming together in Kirikiriroa Hamilton in November for the Aotearoa NZ Anaesthesia ASM. It will be a special chance to reconnect, share our experiences, and strengthen the mahi we do together for our communities.
