A division of Adventist HealthCare Limited ABN 76 096 452 925
© Copyright Adventist HealthCare Limited
OPERATION OPEN HEART
Download "Operation Open Heart" Brochure
Operation Open Heart first visited Papua New Guinea in 1993.
The Port Moresby General Hospital is used as the base and the government has a deep commitment to developing their own cardiac surgery program and unit in the future. Over time, two locally based surgeons have received significant training opportunities with Operation Open Heart and in other hospitals around the world, and are now able to perform some cardiac surgery procedures without assistance.
This has led to a joint partnership approach in the country. Patients are identified throughout Papua New Guinea. Sadly the need for surgery still outweighs the work that can be done, both in finance and time. This means that that Operation Open Heart and the local team must complete the sometimes heart wrenching work of determining those patients most suitable for surgery.
The team of over 60 volunteers each year is warmly welcomed back to Port Moresby Hospital. The goals are to review, develop and increase the skills of the local doctors and nursing staff each year.
A local fundraising program is successful in providing for some of the costs of the program including patient accommodation, transportation, and the infrastructure required to have their own cardiac program one day in the future. Operation Open Heart also provides funds for specialist cardiac supplies that are required.
To support the on-going work of Operation Open Heart in Papua New Guinea, please visit our HealthCare Outreach Donations page. You can also keep up-to-date with the team via their blog at png.ooh.com.au.
Recent Trips
August 2011: Operation Open Heart - 38 open heart surgeries completed by the Australian team, and assistance by local PNG surgeons. The local team completed 25 surgeries without assistance before and after the Australian team visit
July 2010: Operation Open Heart - 39 open heart surgery cases completed while teaching local PNG surgeons. 25 closed heart surgeries were performed by local PNG surgeons after years of teaching by the OOH team
May 2009: Operation Open Heart - 34 children received life changing surgery & 17 adult lives were transformed
June 2008: Operation Open Heart - 400 children underwent pre-operative screening, with 60 undergoing surgery
