Rotary Melbourne has joined the Papua New Guinea Snakebite Partnership, in conjunction with Dr Andrew Watt of the University of Melbourne, St John's Ambulance, CSL and the Governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea.
PNG has one of the highest localised snakebite rates in the world - with snakebite mortality rates in some parts of the country three times higher than malaria or tuberculosis. In southern PNG, Papuan taipan snakes (Oxyuranus scutellatus) cause more than 90% of all cases of “envenoming” (venom-induced injury) admitted to Port Moresby General Hospital. This single cause of injury accounts for 60% of all ventilator bed-days in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).
By treating snakebite victims more immediately and locally, this will reduce Hospital admissions and Intensive Care admissions, enabling a more rapid and effective treatment of victims in Regional Hubs outside Port Moresby. Our provision of solar-powered refrigerators for local CSL anti-venom storage, mobile ventillators for ambulances and training of additional health workers will reduce by hours the interval between a snakebite occurrence and the commencement of medical assistance.
Rotary Melbourne is providing support to St John Ambulance Emergency Services PNG to enable it to provide mobile intubation in ambulances transferring snakebite victims from Kwikila District Hospital to Port Moresby General Hospital. Our support has initially purchased a Zoll Portable Venitillator valued at over $18,000 and help for training of clinicians and paramedics in advanced airway management by the MICA Melbourne Paramedics Training Team.
St John's PNG has received permission through UNICEF to store anti-venom in vaccine fridges which will be available to around 70 health centres. CSL will donate over 600 vials of anti-venom with DFAT supporting extra training costs.
This project addresses Rotary International's Area of Focus of Disease Prevention and Treatment by direct action to reduce snakebite fatalities in Papua New Guinea. The World Health Organisation designates PNG as having the highest per capita death rate from snakebite globally, 60% of cases involving children.
