Current and Future Projects
SMA Australia
Photos of
Project 2009
2009
Maldives Community Medical Program
October/November 2008
At its most recent October Scientific Meeting in the Maldives, SMA Australia has installed a series of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) across three island village communities.
Following the recent sudden death of Maldivian surfing pioneer, Tony Hussein Hinde whilst surfing off Chaaya Island, SMA undertook to install a series of AEDs at the Chaaya Island resort and at two local communities on Himmafushi and Huraa Islands.
After exhaustive work over several months by SMA conference co-ordinator, Harry Gatt, SMA purchased two AEDs and was the recipient of a generous donation of a further two such units from Zoll Medical UK for use in our work.
Between Oct 29th and Nov 6th, a team of SMA members installed the AEDs on the three islands and trained the local health workers in their use and maintenance (see attached photographs). The training phase was facilitated by another generous donation; on this occasion a resuscitation mannequin from Laerdal Medical.
SMA also identified a number of areas in the Himmafushi and Huraa health systems where further assistance may be of possible benefit in the future. These areas of need will be investigated by SMA over the next few months with a view to solving these issues over time. A further SMA team will return to the communities in March 2009 to continue these medical initiatives.
Dr Mark Gillett
SMA Australia
2008
1. Current: Mental Health Reform in the Maldives
During the 2006 SMA conference we followed up on a series of initiatives from the previous year in mental health. It had become clear that while the tsunami had produced a new set of problems in mental health for the country, the major issue was the lack of development of mental health services and workforce problems. A subgroup of the SMA including Simon Leslie, Harry Gatt, Patrick McGorry, Al Stephens, Glenn Fuller and of course Iboo, participated in a series of meetings with representatives of the Health Ministry, the Narcotics Board and the Ministry for Culture. Pat McGorry also gave a lecture to staff at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male on youth mental health and we met once again with the chief psychiatrist, Dr. Eshwaran at the hospital and his colleague Dr. Nashida, who had trained in Melbourne in psychiatry.
The pressing need was to develop a national mental health policy and plan which could then unlock new resources and programs to improve the reach and quality of mental health services. This would have to grow within an essentially primary care framework as in many developing countries. A special focus on drug problems will also be crucial. Since return to Australia, we have progressed this issue through contact with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and have held a series of discussions in person, by email and over the telephone on the issue. In November, Pat McGorry met with John Mahoney from WHO, who wrote the first report post tsunami on mental health needs in the Maldives. He was about to return to the Maldives later that month to complete a second report and framework for a National Mental Health Policy and Plan for the Maldives. The SMA plans to actively follow up on this development with the government during our next visit to the Maldives in March 2007, ideally with the involvement of John Mahoney who is based in Colombo.
2. Current: Emergency Department and Ambulance Service
At the request of Dr Solih, CEO Indira Ghandi Memorial Hospital in Malé the SMA is currently assisting with the clinical development of both the Ambulance Service and Emergency Department.
The SMA is currently exploring the concept and logistics of sending teams, consisting of an Emergency Medicine Specialist and an Experienced Paramedic, periodically over two to three years to teach an updated curriculum.
Future: Aeromedical and Marine Retrieval Sevice
Since the Maldives consists of numerous islands spread over a large area the challenge of providing contemporary health care can be greatly assisted by a modern retrieval service which utilizes both marine and aeromedical resources.
A number of SMA members have a wealth of experience in both domestic and international medical retrieval services and would be willing to provide logistical and clinical assistance towards developing such a service.