Welcoming Tongan health workers to Ballarat

Three health workers from Vaiola Hospital in Tonga are completing four weeks of training at St John of God Ballarat Hospital as a part of the Tonga Twinning Program.

1 Mar 2018

The program, which is run in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Tonga, provides health workers from the Pacific island country the opportunity to complete placements at the hospital to increase their skills and knowledge.

In February and March, hospital workers from Vaiola Hospital are spending time in various hospital departments with a focus on:

Experiencing the catering services working environment with a particular emphasis placed on nutrition in health care
Observing the best practice in wound care and adapting this for their hospital
Learning how to appropriately triage patients

In April, caregivers from St John of God Ballarat Hospital will go to Tonga themselves to see the Vaiola Hospital in action.

St John of God Ballarat Hospital Chief Executive Officer Alex Demidov said the partnership, which had been running since 1992, was a great example of St John of God Health Care improving the health services abroad.

“The Tonga Twinning Program has made considerable achievements in capacity building in Tongan health care. More than 120 Tongan Ministry of Health employees have experienced placements in Ballarat (four week visits) developing capacity across all aspects of health care and over 120 reciprocal visits (two week duration) have been made to Tonga 60 by St John of God Ballarat Hospital caregivers over the last 25 years,” he said.

“Donated medical supplies are also a major contribution to this Twinning program and last financial year we were able to provide two 12 metre containers to Vaiola Hospital filled with equipment and supplies.”