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Survivor from the Island
Content warning: This story contains descriptions of intimate partner violence and serious physical injury, which some readers may find distressing. If you or someone you know needs support, 1 Tok Kaunselin Helpim Lain offers immediate tele-counselling and referral services across Papua New Guinea: +(675) 7150-8000. It is not often that one encounters a patient whose…
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Gender-Based Violence in Papua New Guinea: A Silent Epidemic in Our Health System
This post contains descriptions of domestic and intimate partner violence which some readers may find distressing. If you or someone you know needs support, 1 Tok Kaunselin Helpim Lain offers immediate tele-counselling and referral services across Papua New Guinea: +(675) 7150-8000. Gender-based violence (GBV) in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is not only a social issue,…
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The Cost of Crime
Milne Bay a widely known province of peaceful communities and strong cultural identity. Yet in recent years, that image has been deeply shaken by waves of crime and violence that left many residents living in fear. During the height of this unrest, the province drew national attention as criminal activity escalated, and law enforcement struggled…
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A Practical Telepathology Setup in Papua New Guinea
Telemedicine refers to the delivery of healthcare over distance using information and communication technology. At its simplest, this can be a doctor consulting a patient over a video call, for example a psychiatrist speaking with a patient remotely. More advanced forms involve the transmission of clinical data such as images, videos, and physiological measurements to…
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Cancer Awareness Visit to Jack’s of PNG
October is the month dedicated to breast cancer awareness. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining one of my colleagues and one of my bosses to visit Jack’s of PNG warehouse at Hohola, Port Moresby, for a cancer awareness program organized by the PNG Cancer Foundation. The Foundation regularly coordinates visits by doctors…
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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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Port Moresby General Hospital Patient Safety Day & Independence Roadshow 2025
Friday 19th September was one of those rare hospital days that felt less like work and more like a festival. Port Moresby General Hospital came alive as we celebrated World Patient Safety Day & Independence Roadshow. The Pathology team began the day as usual with our morning meeting and on-call handover, then we quickly mapped…
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PNG Medical Blog at the Community Justice Fund Grant Awards in Support of Community-Driven Impact
The PNG Medical Blog team had the pleasure of attending the Community Justice Fund grant awards at the Australian High Commission on Wednesday, 10th September, 2025. The awards were presented by PNG’s Minister for Justice & Attorney General, Hon. Pila Niningi MP. and Australia’s Attorney-General, Hon. Michelle Rowland MP. The Community Justice Fund (CJF) is…
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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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Burn out
It was finally the end of the month, and we had got through without any major issues. I was completing clinic duties when I received a call to attend to an emergency case in the Emergency Department (ED). I rushed over, where both the Emergency and Anaesthetic teams were stabilising the patient—a trauma case requiring…
