SJOG Biotechnicians assist Cambodian hospital

22 Jan 2015

By Dr Marco Ceccarelli

St John of God Subiaco’s close monitoring of its overseas aid missions prompted a number of staff members to travel to a Cambodian hospital last year in an effort to service and repair faulty medical equipment. PHOTO: St John of God Subiaco

St John of God Subiaco’s close monitoring of its overseas aid missions prompted a number of staff members to travel to a Cambodian hospital last year in an effort to service and repair faulty medical equipment.

The request for support initially came from Michael Wren, an Australian Orthopaedic surgeon involved in the commencement of a total hip replacement program at the Russian Hospital. Mr Wren pointed out that maintenance work needed to be carried out on medical equipment donated in 2009 by SJOG Subiaco and other Perth hospitals. Among the concerns expressed was the effectiveness of a number of steam sterilisers.

David Nash, a Perioperative Resources Manager at SJOG who manages the sterilising department of the hospital, and who is also responsible for operating theatre equipment and instruments, was part of the team which travelled to Cambodia.

Mr Nash assisted in both the repair of medical equipment and the training of local student biotechnicians at Phnom Penh’s Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital, also known as the Russian Hospital.

He recently spoke to Archdiocese of Perth Communications and Media Office journalist Marco Ceccarelli about his experience in Cambodia and the beneficial work that SJOG is doing for countries having health sectors in need of international support.

In reference to the medical equipment originally donated in 2009, Mr Nash stated that “over the years the electronic equipment has worn out and deteriorated. The plan was that in order to support the hip replacement program, myself and another biotechnician, named Rory Balfe, would go back to see what we could do to fix the equipment we donated five years ago. We also went to see if there was anything else we could help them with”.

In co-operation with another Australian doctor, retired Orthopaedic surgeon Tim Keenan, who has been working for the Red Cross in Cambodia over the past 10 years, broken or faulty equipment was collected from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and delivered to the Russian Hospital ahead of Mr Nash and his team’s arrival. Other equipment was delivered during the week of their stay.

The team restored and repaired 40 items of equipment – most of which was serviced using parts from other pieces of non-working equipment. The estimated replacement value of the repaired items, should the purchase of new equipment be required, totalled $500,000. Yet Mr Nash and Mr Balfe were not only there to deliver and fix equipment: Their aim was to pass on knowledge of biotechnology to Cambodian biotechnicians, carefully explaining what they were doing and showing them how to repair faulty machinery.

“It is always rewarding seeing the medical equipment that is donated being used to improve the health of people in another country, especially in Cambodia where there is much poverty. People cannot afford welfare and the Russian Hospital provides services for free. They cannot afford to buy equipment so it is great to be able to donate equipment that is no longer of use here and help keep it working,” Mr Nash said.

He also pointed out that SJOG Subiaco is preparing to send more equipment to Cambodia, including x-ray and anaesthetic machines, microscopes, an operating theatre light, beds, surgical instruments and a second-hand steriliser from Tasmania. A surgeon from the hospital is also scheduled to travel to the Russian Hospital to help with the new total hip replacement program.

When asked whether he would be prepared to return to Cambodia, Mr Nash nodded and made the following statement: “We spent a week up there. It could be something done on an ongoing basis if the hospital supports it. People were coming in every day once they knew we were there. They wanted equipment fixed! I would go back. The people are extremely hospitable and friendly”.