Registered Nurse Charmaine Flynn-Hooker (centre, fifth from left) was
part of a PIPS (Pacific Island Pacing Service) trip to Fiji in April.
Local radiographer Ambika Nand training to perform
cardiac physiologist tasks, to allow emergency
pacemakers in between trips
Lifesaving missions to the Pacific
By Charmaine Flynn-Hooker, Registered Nurse
Cardiac Catheter Laboratory.
For the past 15 years a group of BOPDHB
clinicians have been volunteering in their own
time, providing lifesaving medical treatment
in the Pacific Islands as part of the Pacific
Island Pacing Service (PIPS), a charitable
trust. The team provide critical services such
as inserting pacemakers and ICD (Implantable
Cardioverter Defibrillator) which aren’t provided
by the local health service.
Twice a year the trip is made to Fiji for a week or ten day-long visit
to see as many patients as possible. The cost of the trip is covered
either by Friends of Fiji or donations from individuals and Rotary.
The team comprises a cardiologist, two or three experienced
cardiac physiologists and a senior cardiac cath lab nurse, who
work with a local Fijian team of senior doctors, nurses and a
The local team, Dr Bharat Bali and nurse Luisa Ana, at work.
radiographer who is up-skilling to be able to perform the pacing
tech role. The most recent mission was in April involving myself
and Tauranga Hospital Cardiologist Dr Dean Boddington.
The team is faced with many local challenges such as getting
patients to the clinic, the condition of the patients when they arrive
and the environment. A cyclone caused loss of half a day. There
is also a massive amount of organising required to get the team
to Fiji, gathering donated equipment including the devices and
pacing wires, right down to the gauze, hats, gloves and masks.
But the end result is incredibly satisfying. Thirteen patients were
fitted with lifesaving cardic devices such as pacemakers and ICDs.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of help that is needed.
In August we will be heading to Tonga to set up the same service,
and will be putting devices in for the first time, as well as doing
pacing checks on local patients who have received devices in
other countries but have had no regular follow-up. We are the only
group providing this service at a local level. There is more scope
for more frequent trips so the service is growing each year.
Thanks to Rotary, for sponsoring our trip, making it possible to
go again.
Tauranga Hospital Cardiologist Dr Dean Boddington reading an X-ray using light
from his mobile phone, after a power outage during a cyclone.
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