Chief Executive Officer of Port Moresby General Hospital, Dr. Paki Molumi expressed immense gratitude to the 135th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 65th Medical Brigade for their visit to the hospital and the experiences and skills that they have shared with the emergency, surgical and ICU teams.
“We had a good visit from the first team that came to this hospital.”
The first surgical rotation featured the 8th FRSD, a similar U.S. Army medical detachment organic to 18th Medical Command which is based at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, alongside its higher command, U.S. Army Pacific.
“To the members of the second U.S. surgical team, thank you for coming back.”
Dr Molumi stated that PMGH is a level six hospital and is at the higher end of the referral system in the country and that it is progressing to become a specialist hospital.
“We also have to provide primary and secondary care to a growing population.”
“We service the entire city of over 1 million.”
” There’s another province nearby with a population of over 300,000 — another neighboring province we serve with about 200,000 people so this hospital serves almost 1.5 million people.”
At the most, being a singular hospital responsible for providing level four, five, and six services with limited resources presents a challenge that breeds innovation and keen stewardship of medical supplies while balancing the needs of patients.
Additionally, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jasmine Dede, the mission commander representing 18th MEDCOM stated that they are working to continue these visits in to the hospital.
“We are working with the team and the lawyers from POMGEN on an agreement so we can continue coming for quarterly visits.”
Furthermore, Port Moresby General Hospital Director of Medical Services, Dr. Kone Sobi added that the agreement would be aligned with the established DCA and will help with specifying the health engagement in the workspace.
Meanwhile this surgical rotation to Papua New Guinea is one of the numerous global health engagements the 18th Medical Command facilitates in support of U.S. Army Pacific’s overarching medical security cooperation strategy throughout the Indo-Pacific.
18th MEDCOM sets the Joint theater for medical operations while increasing its strategic posture by synchronizing and coordinating health service support and medical logistics across its more than 4,000 square mile area of responsibility.