Melanie Jewson Foundation board member Ashlee Jewson recently spent five weeks completing a medical placement at the Vila Central Hospital. Ashlee’s time on the wards helped to strengthen our connection with the hospital and prioritise the needs identified by its various departments, resulting in the provision of two cardiotocograph (CTG) machines donated by the MJF soon after her return home. You can read more about the CTG machines here. Ashlee was joined in the final week of her placement by her mum Elizabeth (Libby), also a board member of the MJF. Together they met with key figures in Vanuatu's Ministry of Health as well as several heads of department at the Vila Central Hospital, continuing to forge stronger partnerships with agencies in Port Vila. Some of the highlights of their work together included visiting the stores department, biomedical departments and the physiotherapy department to see some of our donated equipment being used. Libby says, "This trip endorsed my optimistic view that our partnerships are cementing, our work is worthwhile and we are very lucky to have the broad support from the people and companies in Australia to carry out this very crucial work." Another memorable experience was visiting the surgical theatre where the diathermy machine donated by the MJF in 2014 is in daily use, helping to reduce post surgical infection and improve healing.

"This trip endorsed my optimistic view that our partnerships are cementing, our work is worthwhile and we are very lucky to have the broad support from the people and companies in Australia to carry out this very crucial work"

Libby and Ashlee were also able to collect the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both members of the Melanie Jewson Foundation and the Vanuatu Ministry of Education. This is a great progression and will help to streamline the process for the donating of educational equipment to the schools in Port Vila and beyond. Bringing the trip to a close was a visit to the Australian High Commission where they met with Megan Kybert, the First Secretary of Health and Infrastructure. Megan was very encouraging of the work of the Melanie Jewson Foundation and commented that we are doing "very valuable work" for the people of Vanuatu. Featured photo: Elizabeth Jewson (R) with former Vila Central Hospital Manager Leipakoa Matariki (L).