Rotary Club of Boroko

Donation of Medical Supplies and Equipment

Panapompom Island, Samarai Murua District, Milne Bay province

Date of Report: 15^th January 2023.

Writer: Ben Davis

Date of Project: 3^rd December 2022

Stakeholders and Individuals involved in the Supply Chain.

• President Lito of Rotary of Club of Boroko
• Brian Riches - President Elect Rotary of Club of Boroko
• Morgan Kapa - Banana Boat Operator and Skipper Kupiano to Alotau
• Brian Poó - Post PNG Business Manager Alotau.
• Rose Solomon - Owner of MV Whisky Sierra
• Dusty James - Banana Boat Operator and Skipper, Panapompom.
• Betty James - Community Leader, Panapompom
• Abel George - Community Leader, Panapompom
• Ben Davis – Rotary Member

Objective:

To deliver donated medical supplies and other items from the Boroko Rotary Club to the people of Panapompom and Panaeati in the Deboyne Lagoon of the Samarai Murua District, Misima, Milne Bay Province.

Brief Introduction:

My name is Ben Davis, I am from á mixed parentage of Panaiwol Village, Panapompom Island, Misima Milne Bay and Daru Western Province. I am a newly inducted member of Boroko Rotary Club in Port Moresby, NCD and I currently work for Post PNG Ltd in Port Moresby as the Chief Operating Officer.

Case Scenario:

The islands of Panapompom and Panaeati are located in the Deboyne Lagoon of Misima Milne Bay Province. The Provincial capital of Milne Bay is Alotau which is 23 hours by boat from Alotau to Misima but an 18-hour journey if you were to travel and get off at Panapompom or Panaeati Islands. An airstrip in Bwagaoia the recent staging Township for the once vibrant Misima Mines still operates Dash 8 aircraft from PNG Air today coupled with the challenges of continuous closures due to safety issues of the runway that lack the maintenance and upkeep per safe standards of an airstrip.

Back on the islands, Whilst the basic lifestyle of the people involves, fishing the abundant coral reefs and gardening the fertile soils for green vegetables and staple yams, health and education, social issues, alcohol abuse and other westernized cultures continue to infiltrate into this beautiful Paradise Isles causing instability in appreciating the balance of natures blessing versus the influences of the modern world.

With ever ongoing logistical issues of getting medical supplies to the islands and other such government service goods like education materials and others on time into the Islands on a timely manner to service demand has been an ongoing sad story of inefficiency administrative delays.,

In December 2022, I took my annual leave to go back home and decided that I should help my people with needed medical supplies knowing fully well the struggles they go through due to the remoteness of my Island home and the ongoing laxity in delivery of basic government services to my people.;

 

Scope & Plan:

My adventurous plan for this festive period break on Monday the 4^th December, was to take a banana Boat (dinghy) ride from Central province to my neighboring Milne Bay Province. We departed from Lalaura village   Kupiano Central Province which took 5 hours and arrived at Gadaisu Beach front on next day on Tuesday 5^th December. We were escorted and picked up by Post PNG Alotau and driven to Alotau Town. Two days later we were on our way to Panapompom Island Misima aboard MV Whisky Sierra.

Upon arrival at Panapompom on Saturday 10^th December, we delivered items to Panaeati Health Centre and next day it was the rest of the mosquito nets and sunglasses to the people.

Route:

Below is a snap shot of the location of the donations.

 Items Donated:

Rural Clinics Birthing Medical Kits, Patient Bed Linen, Gauze Swabs, Syringes and needles of various sizes, Male Catheter, Surgical Gloves, Kidney Bowls, Forceps, IV lines and tubes, Splinter removal packages, Sunglasses, and Treated Mosquito Nets.

Outcomes:

1. Panaeati Health Centre: At the time of our arrival the center was out of syringes and needles, including basics drugs and medicine’s. The linen supplied was a welcome gesture as the old linen had been discarded and the maternity beds were covered in basic construction type plastic sheets. The staff were very grateful for our donation.
2. Panapompom Island: Panapompom is the local lingual description means Place of Elephatitus” this is due to the history of the swamps and wetlands inside Panapompom and the infestation of mosquitos and how it has and had affected the lives of the islanders. Our distribution of the nest and sunglasses were very appreciated as depicted in our video.

Acknowledgements

The following individuals are acknowledged for their kind help, support and donations.

• President Lito of Rotary of Club of Boroko
• Brian Riches - President Elect Rotary of Club of Boroko
• Morgan Kapa - Banana Boat Operator and Skipper Kupiano to Alotau
• Brian Poó - Post PNG Business Manager Alotau.
• Rose Solomon - Owner of MV Whisky Sierra
• Dusty James - Banana Boat Operator and Skipper, Panapompom.
• Betty James - Community Leader, Panapompom
• Abel George - Community Leader, Panapompom
• Ben Davis – Rotary Member