Local surgeon Paddy Dewan has recently returned from his latest humanitarian trip to Papua New Guinea (PNG), providing seven days of clinical care, reviewing 15 patients, including four legacy patients from several years ago, one who was first treated during an outreach trip in March 1993.

The seven children (three girls and four boys) ranging in age from nine months to 10 years, had 20 operations during eight anaesthetics, with the longest operation nine hours.

Paddy said like all of his humanitarian trips, it is touching to see the impact on the children who received life-changing treatment.

“The impact on individual lives is very moving, but the impact on the ability of surgeons and the improvement in care standards is also very gratifying," he said.

“Helping the surgeons deal with the very complex cases, like the girl who had her eighth surgery after many complications and the ninth month old girl with a obstruction of both kidneys; drastically changing the life of the older girl and saving the life the baby is an honour – particularly as it helps the surgeon learn how to prevent complications and solve the problems when they do occur.

“There are many new developments in medicine, but still the greatest good is done with careful attention to the basics.

"Doctors being focused on the story from the patient, the examination that is thorough and using simple tests with then careful basic surgery to manage the surgical problem is the solution in all countries, but an even more essential focus when resources are severely limited."

Paddy said PNG is particularly important to him as the country he has visited the most – now 28 times.

"It was where my father served in the second world war – and I have worked in a hospital that his sister worked as a nun,” he said.

“I met with one patient from my first visit in 1993 during this visit, and one other young lady (a former patient) is now a medical student.”

During the visit, Paddy worked alongside PNG specialists including Dr Kennedy James and teams at Paradise Hospital and Port Moresby General Hospital.

The mission focused on children with serious surgical conditions, with local doctors, hospital leaders and charity partners combining their expertise to deliver urgent care and expand opportunities for training and long-term support.

The visit also highlighted growing cooperation between public and private health services, which Paddy said in his trip report will be critical to improving access to paediatric surgery across PNG.

Among the children treated were a 10-month-old baby who had spent months in hospital before undergoing surgery and another young patient, Mercy, who returned home just a week after a complex nine-hour operation following multiple unsuccessful procedures.

The respected surgeon and urologist has completed more than 150 trips to developing countries, where he has provided treatment to more than 10,000 children who would otherwise have had limited access to specialist care through "Kind Cuts for Kids," an Australian not-for-profit organisation committed to providing specialist medical care for children in developing countries around the world.

Plans are already in place for Paddy to return to PNG at the end of August/early September.

Kind Cuts for Kids operates on a lean budget, with all donations going directly to teaching surgeons, nurses, assistants, and radiologists in developing countries.

For more information about Kind Cuts For Kids or to donate to support their vital work, visit https://www.kindcutsforkids.net/how-you-can-help/.