Volunteer Medical Professionals for Vanuatu

The Northern District Hospital serves Vanuatu's northern islands and is the second largest hospital in the Republic of Vanuatu. It is a poorly resourced hospital but there is high morale among the workforce. The hospital has more than 100 beds spread over medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and TB wards, as well as hosting outpatients, X-ray, laboratory and limited ultrasound facilities. There is no CT scanner. Part of the hospital has recently been rebuilt. The hospital receives specialist volunteer doctors and aid from overseas countries, notably Australia, New Zealand and China. NPH has specialty pediatric services with pediatric surgeon Dr. Basil Leodoro onsite, with specialist pediatric surgical teams in plastics and urology from Australia and New Zealand frequently doing surgical missions. The hospital also hosts one of two hyperbaric chambers in Vanuatu (it is probably the better of the two facilities for diving medicine) and treats milder diving-related illnesses. Serious medical cases are evacuated to Australia and New Zealand by ProMedical, a dedicated private Antipodean medical extraction service.

Northern District Hospital

Churches of Christ Medical Santo (Medical Santo)

An allergist-immunologist diagnoses and manages disorders involving immune system conditions such as asthma, anaphylaxix, rhinitis, and eczema as well as adverse reactions and immune deficiency diseases.

An anesthesiologist is a physician who provides anesthesia for patients undergoing surgical, obstetric, diagnostic, or therapeutic procedures while monitoring the patient’s condition and supporting vital organ functions. The anesthesiologist also diagnoses and treats acute, chronic, and/or cancer pain as well as provide resuscitation and medical management for patients with critical illnesses and severe injuries.

A dermatologist is a physician with training and expertise in the diagnosis and medical/surgical management of diseases of the skin, hair and nails, and mucous membranes.

A physician who specializes in emergency medicine focuses on the immediate decision making and action necessary to prevent death or any further disability both in the pre-hospital setting and in the emergency department.

An internist who concentrates on disorders of the internal (endocrine) glands, such as the thyroid and adrenal glands, this specialist also deals with disorders such as diabetes, metabolic and nutritional disorders, obesity, pituitary diseases, and menstrual and sexual problems.

Family physicians deliver a range of acute, chronic, and preventive medical care services. Family physicians also manage chronic illness, often coordinating care provided by other subspecialists.

Gastroenterologists are internists who specialize in diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive organs, including the esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver and gallbladder.

Geriatricians are internists who have special knowledge of the aging process and special skills in the diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive and rehabilitative aspects of illness in the elderly. 

A hematologist is an internist with additional training who specializes in blood diseases. This specialist treats diseases such as anemia, hemophilia and sickle cell disease as well as cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

An infectious disease specialist is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases caused by microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses (such as HIV and hepatitis), fungi and parasites.

An internist is a personal physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and in the hospital, managing both common and complex illnesses of adolescents, adults, and the elderly.

Medical geneticists specialize in medicine that involves the interaction between genes and health. They are trained to evaluate, diagnose, manage, treat, and counsel individuals of all ages with hereditary disorders.

A nephrologist is an internist who treats chronic and acute disorders of the kidney, high blood pressure, fluid, electrolyte and mineral balance, and manages complications of kidney failure. 

Neurological surgery constitutes a medical discipline and surgical specialty that provides care for adult and pediatric patients in the treatment of pain or pathological processes that may modify the function or activity of the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, the supporting structures of these systems, and their vascular supply.

A neurologist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of all types of disease or impaired function of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, muscles, and autonomic nervous system, as well as the blood vessels that relate to these structures. 

Ophthalmology is a specialty focused on the medical and surgical care of the eyes. Ophthalmologists are the only physicians medically trained to manage the complete range of eye and vision care.

An orthopaedic surgeon is educated in the preservation, investigation, and restoration of the form and function of the extremities, spine, and associated structures by medical, surgical, and physical means.

An otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon provides medical and/ or surgical therapy for the prevention of diseases, allergies, neoplasms, deformities, disorders, and/or injuries of the ears, nose, sinuses, throat, respiratory, and upper alimentary systems, face, jaws, and the other head and neck systems.

Hospice and palliative medicine physicians have special knowledge and skills to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life- limiting illnesses.

A pathologist deals with the causes and nature of disease and contributes to diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment through knowledge gained by the laboratory application of the biologic, chemical, and physical sciences.

Pediatric surgeons are primarily concerned with the diagnosis, preoperative, operative, and postoperative management of surgical problems in children, and they operate on children whose development ranges from the newborn stage through the teenage years.

Pediatricians practice the specialty of medical science concerned with the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Pediatric care encompasses a broad spectrum of health services ranging from preventive care to the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases.

A specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation evaluates and treats patients with physical and/or cognitive impairments and disabilities that result from musculoskeletal conditions (such as neck or back pain, or sports or work injuries), neurological conditions (such as stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury), or other medical conditions.

A plastic surgeon deals with the repair, reconstruction, or replacement of physical defects of form or function involving the skin, musculoskeletal system, craniomaxillofacial structures, hand, extremities, breast and trunk, and external genitalia or cosmetic enhancement of these areas of the body.

A psychiatrist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of mental, addictive, and emotional disorders such as schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substancerelated disorders, sexual and gender identity disorders, and adjustment disorders.

Pulmonary/critical care medicine encompasses a wide variety of patient care opportunities and offers a large spectrum of practice opportunities. The majority of pulmonary/critical care specialists enjoy a practice that provides care for both inpatients and outpatients.

A radiologist is a physician who uses imaging methodologies to diagnose and manage patients and provide therapeutic options. Physicians practicing in the field of Radiology specialize in Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology, or Radiation Oncology. 

A rheumatologist is an internist who treats diseases of joints, muscle, bones and tendons. This specialist diagnoses and treats arthritis, back pain, muscle strains, common athletic injuries and “collagen” diseases.

A general surgeon has principal expertise in the diagnosis and care of patients with diseases and disorders affecting the abdomen, digestive tract, endocrine system, breast, skin, and blood vessels. A general surgeon is also trained in the treatment of patients who are injured or critically ill, and in the care of pediatric and cancer patients.

A urologist, also known as a genitourinary surgeon, focuses on diagnosing and treating disorders of the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. This specialist manages non-surgical problems such as urinary tract infections and benign prostatic hyperplasia, as well as surgical problems such as the surgical management of cancers, the correction of congenital abnormalities, and correcting stress incontinence.

A vascular surgeon has expertise in the diagnosis and care of patients with diseases and disorders affecting the arteries, veins and lymphatic systems, excluding vessels of the brain and heart.

An obstetrician/gynecologist focuses on the health of women before, during, and after childbearing years, diagnosing and treating conditions of the reproductive system and associated disorders.

Churches of Christ Medical Santo (Medical Santo)

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