Dr John van Dalen (left) had a Rotary Outstanding Humanitarian Award presented by District Governor Wayne Gordon last month.
Dr John van Dalen (left) had a Rotary Outstanding Humanitarian Award presented by District Governor Wayne Gordon last month.
An Outstanding Humanitarian Project award was recently presented to Dr John van Dalen, a Whanganui orthopaedic surgeon and member of Whanganui North Rotary Club, by Rotary District Governor Wayne Gordon.
The July 26 award recognised the work van Dalen has done in Tonga over the past five years in upgrading orthopaedic surgical services at Vaiola Hospital in Nuku’alofa.
The Rotary clubs of Whanganui North and Nuku’alofa (Tonga) have been helping van Dalen with providing orthopaedic services to the communities of Tonga.
Van Dalen launched the Orthopaedic Surgical Trauma Project in Tonga with the support of the Rotary Club of Whanganui North, Rotary International and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand.
A proposed operating theatre with clean air ventilation, stainless steel walls and an anti-static floor.
The project aimed to enhance surgical services in Tonga by providing a specialised trauma table and offering previously unavailable procedures. As the project progressed, it became evident the operating theatres at Vaiola Hospital in Nuku’alofa needed upgrading to meet current clean air standards and expand the range of surgeries, including hip and knee joint replacements for patients.
“The total budget has been costed at US$250,000 [$411,090], it’s going to be a marathon,” said Tony Hodge, Whanganui North Rotary Club head of the International and Medical Projects Committee.
“This is going to take us time, which is why we are spreading it over three years. We hope to get Rotary International to come on board with funding for the project.
The current operating theatre in Vaiola Hospital, Nuku'alofa.
“We will be applying to the Rotary Foundation for a global grant, we have been through this once before, for upgrading orthopaedic surgical services at Vaiola Hospital, which has a budget of US$60,000.
“This is a new and bigger project. We will be canvassing Rotarians and Rotary Clubs throughout New Zealand for support.
“We are going to have to approach overseas clubs in America, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. It’s such a marvellous project to upgrade the operating theatres.
“When Dr van Dalen is in Tonga, he will be able to carry out hip and knee replacement surgery, which can’t be done at the moment, because the theatres are not set up for the best international practice. Complex surgery like cancer will be able to be performed.
“Dr van Dalen travels to Tonga three times a year, donating his time - the reason why he has won the Outstanding Humanitarian Project award, which we are thrilled with,” said Hodge.
“The head surgeon at Vaiola Hospital, Dr Bill Tangi, is very grateful for all the work Dr van Dalen has done, with our support, over the years. The medical superintendent and the Ministry of Health in Tonga are also very supportive, not only of our existing global grant, but this new project too. They can see this will be a significant improvement to the hospital.
“We work closely with the Rotary Club of Nuku’alofa - the host sponsor. We are the international sponsor,” said Hodge.
The surgical team at Vaiola Hospital, Dr Marina Tuinukuafe, Dr John van Dalen (from Whanganui) and Dr Bill Tangi.
Five years ago, van Dalen, a member of the Rotary Club of Whanganui North, began regular visits to Tonga to assist the general surgical team with complex fractures.
With the increased use of internal fixation for fractures, it became evident the operating theatres at Vaiola Hospital required upgrading to acceptable current “clean air” standards to minimise intraoperative infection. There was also a desire to be able to offer joint replacement surgery to patients with disabling arthritis of the hip and knee joints.
As a follow on from the Orthopaedic Surgical Project, this new project evolved with the focus of upgrading existing operating theatres in Vaiola Hospital to best practice standards.
“The advantage of upgrading operating theatres is to achieve a low intra-operative infection rate of less than 5 per cent. As a result, more invasive surgery, such as joint replacement surgery, could be offered to the Tongan community. In addition, the local surgical and nursing staff would learn new skills with the increased range of surgery on offer, training being an important part of the project’s objectives,” said Hodge.
■ Donations can be made to: RNZWCS Limited (Rotary New Zealand World Community Service) 03-1702-0192208-01 Ref: 428, This is a registered charity (CC26860) for New Zealand tax credits.
This project is just one of many from the Whanganui North Rotary Club, which was chartered on February 20, 1960, and has since become one of the most dynamic clubs in the lower North Island District 9940 of Rotary International.
The club runs the annual Food Bank Drive, Carols by Candlelight and the Christmas Trailer raffle, along with several other community events.
The club welcomes new members from the Whanganui community. Please contact the membership chair, Cranleigh Chainey, at email: chainey@xtra.co.n
