Follow the journey of RotaryHPH's International Service Chair, Brian Hartmus in his first Rotary International Global Grant service project as he provides us updates from Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea (2022)

Brian arrives into Papua New Guinea An ICU in Papua New Guinea Mahalo Gifts

August 28, 2022, the Rotary Club of Hickam Pearl Harbor's International Service Chair, Brian Hartmus arrived in Papua New Guinea as a participant in the club’s first Rotary International Global Grant Service Project. Brian, an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA, also serves as the club’s Treasurer.

For Brian, joining Rotary opened the door and is allowing him to use his vocation by joining a group of second wave participants in Papua New Guinea in this life changing service project. Before leaving Honolulu, Brian shared his excitement about being able to bring value healthcare systems, facilities and communities across the world. 

Upon arrival, Brian joins Rotarians and non-Rotarians from Hawai’i to take part in a water sanitation project spearheaded by Dr. James Ham of the Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset (District 5000). The group of volunteers begin working with the international non-profit, Water Hands Hope. It is the organization's mission to provide Water Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, technology, and education. Their tasks are to build rain catchments, toilets, and hand wash stations; deliver water filters and WASH teaching curricula. According to their website, Water Hands Hope creates sustainable solutions to directly improve the lives of people living in the poorest and most remote regions of the world.

To get involved with Water Hands Hope, visit their website at waterhandshope.org

In addition to working with Water Hands Hope, Brian is also supporting the implementation of Rotary International Global Grant GG2231243, Emergency Point of Care Ultrasound for Papua New Guinea. The grant was approved to bring emergency Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to Papua New Guinea. Brian, a registered nurse with Kaiser Permanente in Honolulu, Hawai'i, joins other nurses and physicians from around the world to use their vocational experiences and expertise to provide training and support for the use and dissemination of these devices. 

These Ultrasound devices will help physicians, in underserved and underfunded areas, to have access to incredible technology - it can help them quickly, and more-accurately, identify and then diagnose (most importantly) life threatening conditions, and intervene as appropriate. Many of these rural communities do not have access to even X-ray technology, let alone CT and MRI equipment… but even ones with a fraction of these options can still greatly benefit from the speed at which one can utilize the small but mighty devices.

Rotary International supports large international activities with sustainable, measurable outcomes in Rotary’s areas of focus by offering Global grants through the Rotary Foundation (TRF). By working together to respond to real community needs, Rotary clubs and districts can strengthen their global partnerships. 

For more information about the Rotary Foundation's Grants, visit our explanation page.

Rotary Club of Hickam Pearl Harbor’s International Service Chair, Brian Hartmus, joins volunteers from Hawai'i (USA) and around the world to support Rotary International’s Global Grant GG2231243, Emergency Point of Care Ultrasound for Papua New Guinea. This global grant was submitted by the Rotary Clubs of Port Moresby (District 9620) and Honolulu Sunset (District 5000). A humanitarian project to focus on providing handheld POCUS devices to emergency physicians at four regional hospitals in Papua New Guinea: Port Moresby General Hospital, Gerehu General Hospital, Mount Hagen General Hospital, and Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Kundiawa General Hospital. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Papua New Guinea has one of the lowest rates of physicians per capita in the world. Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a diagnostic imaging modality used at the patient’s bedside to help physicians and other health professions to obtain immediate results and diagnoses in order to reduce morbidity and mortality, especially in trauma patients and pregnant mothers. These devices provide immediate answers to clinical questions in real time resulting in more timely, accurate treatment. Compared to other diagnostic imaging modalities such as basic X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, and traditional ultrasound machines, POCUS is far more inexpensive, durable, non-invasive, safe, and avoids exposure to radiation altogether. It is a proven, high-impact, low-cost means of imaging in both emergent and complex conditions in resource-limited environments.

Looking for a Rotary International Global Grant? Search here.

Brian, a registered nurse, joins other medical professionals to support this global grant in Papua New Guinea with the goal to improve the capacity of local health care professionals. With the focus on disease prevention and treatment and to support maternal and child health, Brian is sure to provide support in true Rotarian fashion, service above self

While in Papua New Guinea, Brian has a goal to meet with nursing staff at various facilities and in various healthcare situations. He, along with other volunteer healthcare providers, hope to have meetings, casual dialogue, and hands-on work and activities. 

Follow Brian's experiences in Papua New Guinea on our Facebook page.

Brian is looking forward to the “practice exchange” with the intention of learning their medical and nursing process; discussing what they would like to do different and/or what they would like to improve and/or learn; strategize ways in which their units can run more efficiently, etc.  This is being done with the intention to improve general patient and staff quality of health and life. Through this experience, Brian is identifying ways he can garner support from home to support international efforts in disease prevention and treatment, along with maternal and child health. 

Check out Brian's Photo Album.

Updated 9/2/2022

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