Following the devastating impacts of Tropical Cyclone Winston that hit Fiji on Saturday evening, our thoughts are with our local Fijian partners, colleagues and all those affected by the tragedy. There is a huge amount of work to do to rebuild.
We were relieved to hear from Fijian surgeon and one of our key local partners, Dr Semesa Matanaicake, that he and his team were safe and well, and that while the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva has received some water damage, they are still functioning. Dr Semesa said a high number of patients with cyclone-related trauma are arriving at the hospital. Teams from Suva are heading out to the remote islands to assess casualties and provide assistance. Interplast is continuing work to establish contact with our local partners in other areas of Fiji.
We have extended the offer of our assistance to our partners directly, and through the Australian High Commission in Suva. Over the coming weeks and months, as the immediate humanitarian response transitions into recovery, there will be ongoing need for support in reconstructive surgery. Interplast is ready to help wherever and whenever our local partners request assistance.
Prior to the cyclone, Interplast had a number of programs planned in Fiji over the course of the year. These include a surgical visit to Labasa, and a training/mentoring program to Suva (both in March) – as well as other programs later in 2016. With the support of our local partners, these visits will still go ahead, and our volunteers are looking forward to assisting their Fijian colleagues.
Interplast has been working in Fiji since 1983, and has delivered over 120 separate programs in that time – including plastic and reconstructive surgical programs, programs providing specific training to local surgeons, and education programs for anaesthetists, nurses and allied health professionals. Our aim is to improve access to quality reconstructive surgery and follow-up rehabilitative services by providing programs focused on building the capacity of local health care providers.
While Interplast is not a humanitarian response organisation, Interplast plastic surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses have previously assisted local hospitals in post-disaster events, including the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and following the Bali bombing attacks, and the Nepal earthquakes in 2015.
Once our local partners are able to identify where our assistance is needed, we will be in a position to offer our expertise and services in the medium-term recovery. We can also mobilise teams in the short-term who are able to support immediate need in trauma management if this assistance is requested by our partners in Fiji. This is to ensure that our efforts are not duplicated and that a coordinated approach is taken.
Everyone at Interplast extends their condolences to all those affected by this tragedy.
