September 26, 2025 – HONIARA, Solomon Islands – The U.S. Embassy supported through its Speakers Program a train the-trainer “Stop the Bleed” program at Honiara’s National Referral Hospital, at the initiative of U.S. physician Eileen Natuzzi, MD and as part of her ongoing philanthropic efforts in Solomon Islands’ medical community.
NRH’s Head of General Surgery Rooney Jagilly, MD then led a training for employees of the NGO HALO Trust, which the U.S. Embassy has engaged to identify and catalog unexploded ordinance around Solomon Islands since 2011. Dr. Natuzzi has visited Solomon Islands many times over the past 20-plus years, working hand-in-hand with NRH’s Endoscopy Department to increase capacity of the unit and its physicians and nursing staff.
In response to a call from the White House in Washington, DC, the American College of Surgeons created “Stop the Bleed” to equip individuals with necessary skills to step in as immediate responders during bleeding emergencies. Since its creation, over five million people have been trained to help trauma patients, often victims of gunfire, stabbing, and bicycle accidents. In Solomon Islands, crocodile bites and accidents in the jungle can lead to emergency bleeding events.
Dr. Natuzzi used the official “Stop the Bleed” training kit and presentation in order empower anyone to save a life by learning three basic actions to control severe bleeding in an injured person. The kit contains items such as a tourniquet, gauze for packing wounds, and compression tape. The American College of Surgeons notes that bleeding is the number one cause of preventable death after injury. The program’s efficacy has resulted in its adoption as an official program by the U.S. Department of Defense.
NRH staff who took part in the training are now available to bring “Stop the Bleed” to schools, community-based organizations, churches, and offices. Interested parties are invited to contact Dr. Jagilly at RJagilly@gmail.com to register interest in bringing “Stop the Bleed” to groups of virtually all ages and any educational background.
