An Australian Paediatric Surgical Specialist Team from Canberra Hospital recently visited the Solomon Islands and performed 26 critical surgical procedures at the National Referral Hospital with local surgeon Dr. Stallone Kohia.
During their visit in April, the team reviewed 44 patients, including two ward consultations, delivering expert care across a range of complex cases.
One particularly remarkable case involved a four-day-old neonate presenting with a severe bowel anomaly. Despite the absence of laboratory results, the team performed emergency surgery to correct the exposed bowel condition. The infant is now reported to be feeding well and progressing positively.
The local surgeon, Dr. Stallone Kohia, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the visiting team in the absence of Dr. Rooney Jagilly, who is currently overseas for training.
“NRH is privileged to host this team. Their visits build strong relationships, foster continuity of patient care, and provide invaluable follow-up surgeries. They understand our local context deeply and operate seamlessly with our staff,” Dr. Kohia said.
He further highlighted that the visits not only support patient care but also contribute significantly to training and capacity building for local nurses and doctors.
Senior Surgeon and Team Leader Dr. Celine Hamid reflected on the longstanding partnership between Australia and Solomon Islands, stating, “Since we started visiting the Solomon Islands in 2015, we have conducted between 25 to 30 surgeries per visit. To date, approximately 378 children have benefited from these life-saving procedures. We visit NRH once or twice a year, and each time we are honored to help children in need of our services.”
Australian High Commissioner, Jeff Roach, warmly welcomed the continued collaboration between NRH and Australian specialists.
“When Australian specialist teams work alongside dedicated NRH clinicians, the impact is immediate and real,” High Commissioner Roach said.
“Seeing children receive safer, life‑changing surgery—while local doctors and nurses gain hands‑on experience—shows just how strong this partnership is. Australia will continue to work closely with NRH to support strong paediatric surgical care across Solomon Islands.”
The majority of surgeries performed during this visit focused on paediatric urology, notably hypospadias correction—a procedure to correct the abnormal placement of the urethral opening. Additionally, fibroids and uterine anomaly cases were successfully managed. They are all recovering well.
The next mission is scheduled for 10-19 October 2026, with plans to extend surgical outreach to provinces, focusing on the urgent need for burn treatment.
The visiting surgical team also received generous financial support and donations of essential equipment from other partners, including the John James Foundation, the Rotary Club of Hall, Johnson & Johnson, Omnigon, Coloplast, amongst others.
