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Kuru the “laughing disease” in Papua New Guinea: history, science, and significance.
Kuru was a rare brain disease that was discovered in Papua New Guinea. It first came to medical attention in the 1950s when colonial health officers and local physicians noticed an unusual syndrome affecting women and children in the Fore speaking area of PNG’s Eastern Highlands. People with kuru often first developed shaking, difficulty walking,…
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A Friday for a Pathology Registrar
Friday morning. It was 9 a.m. when I left the office. The morning meeting had been a long one, the previous night’s on-call shift summary was presented then other issues discussed. Afterwards, I spent a few minutes discussing a case with my colleague; we had a pediatric patient booked for a bone marrow aspiration in…
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From Clinics to Specialists: The Importance of Patient Referrals
A patient referral occurs when a healthcare provider directs a patient to another provider or specialist for additional care. This is a formal process with documentation that accompanies the patient and can also be preceded by a case discussion or communication between the referring and receiving clinician or hospital. This process is essential to ensure…
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The Papua New Guinean Patient
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), accessing health services can vary greatly depending on factors like location, socioeconomic status, and cultural beliefs. However, there are some general characteristics that may describe a typical Papua New Guinean seeking health services: Overall, a typical Papua New Guinean seeking health services is likely to face a complex array of…
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