A trip to Maternity

This post is by Philippa Earl, ICU RN, PNG.

Last year I came to PNG with Operation Open Heart for the first time.

It was an absolutely amazing experience, and certainly had a profound effect on me. I live in Townsville, so Port Moresby is only a small hop, skip and jump from home. In a way, it is unbelievable that the conditions of healthcare differ so much when the two countries are so close by.

Two groups of wonderful ladies from the Carlyle Gardens Knitting Group and the Klicketty Klack Knitting Circle in Townsville donated some large bags of knitted bonnets and booties for the Special Care Nursery at Port Moresby General Hospital that we delivered.

On Thursday we went to deliver them, and talk to some of the staff. It was a real privilege to meet obstetrician Dr Robert. It is mind blowing how many babies are delivered in the unit each day, and that he was so happy and smiling even after working the last 30 hours straight!

The nursing and medical staff all over Port Moresby do such a wonderful job on a shoestring budget. We really do take our hats off to you.

Operation Open Heart has again been a truly wonderful experience for me, and I have loved every minute of my working with the ICU team.

Until next year,

Pip