by Debbie Shiell, Interplast
The people in Amanda's village in Papua New Guinea did not sleep for days as she cried in pain after falling into a fire when she was a baby. Although she was taken to the hospital, the medics there did not have the expertise to treat her and she was told to go home.
Over time her burn injuries scarred and contracted, distorting her arm and rendering it non-functional. Burn scar contractures are a common problem in developing countries as burns are left largely untreated. Burn scar contractures cause unnecessary disabilities and only get worse over time.
AusAID provides funding to Interplast Australia and New Zealand to provide surgical and allied health services in developing countries in the Asia Pacific region by providing free medical treatment and training.
For Amanda, the Interplast medics were able to free her arm which will recover fully over time.
More than 120 patients attended the Interplast clinics in Mt Hagen and Port Moresby recently hoping to receive treatment from the visiting Interplast volunteers. Some patients walked barefooted for two days to receive medical treatment.
The Interplast team then had the difficult and heartbreaking task of prioritising those they could treat now, leaving those who would have to wait for the next visit. Forty-eight patients received treatment and now have a new outlook on life.
The Interplast team has visited PNG 72 times since 1986 and has conducted 4000 consultations and 2000 operations.
The next Interplast visit to PNG will also focus on hand injuries and deformities and debilitating burn injuries and take place in Madang and Port Moresby between 21 February and 4 March 2011.
More information
Interplast Australia and New Zealand [external site]
Australian aid in Papua New Guinea