PNG Angels return with mission accomplished

Central Coast-based neurosurgeon Dr Marc Coughlan and his team of PNG Angels have returned home after undertaking their eighth mission to Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea, from March 17-21.

Among the 20 complex procedures successfully performed on this mission were an anterior cervical discectomy fusion (ACDF), a craniotomy, a laminectomy decompression, a foraminotomy, and the repair of dura following a traumatic knife injury.

These diverse surgeries not only provided critical care to patients but also served as valuable training opportunities for the local surgical team.

PNG Angels receives no government funding and relies solely on the generosity of individuals.

The charity was founded in 2020 by Coughlan with the mission of helping Papua New Guinea meet its own neurosurgical needs through education and high impact clinical training delivered during surgical missions.

Since its inception, the organisation has conducted eight missions, jointly completing more than 80 complex neurosurgical procedures at Port Moresby General Hospital, in collaboration with the local neurosurgery team.

During this mission, the charity donated approximately $220,000 worth of specialised equipment to Port Moresby General Hospital, offering a beacon of hope to patients in need.

The team delivered intensive training on this new equipment to the neurosurgical wards, the intensive care unit, high dependency unit and theatre staff.

Neurosurgeon at Port Moresby General Hospital, Dr Benjamin Thomas, said he welcomed the PNG Angels’ donation of a neuroendoscope.

“The introduction of skull base endoscopes at Port Moresby General Hospital is a major advancement for neurosurgery in Papua New Guinea,” he said.

“These specialised instruments will enable minimally invasive approaches for removing skull base tumors, treating pituitary lesions, managing CSF leaks, and addressing other complex cranial lesions, leading to safer surgeries, faster recovery, and better patient outcomes.”

PNG Angels and Port Moresby General Hospital recently marked the five-year milestone anniversary of their collaboration.

“Since inception, we have jointly completed more than 80 neurosurgical procedures, but our primary focus is education and training,” Coughlan said.

“We envision a self-sufficient neurosurgery capability in PNG, so it’s all about capacity building.”

Joining Coughlan were medical volunteers Dr Luke Timmermans, Dr Saeed Kohan, Dr Saira Hussain, Asha Ajayakumar, Samantha Brown, Lisa Copp, Hannah Almady, Summer Leonard and Melissa Millar.

PNG Angels’ directors Susannah Hales and Yvette Mobbs also joined the mission.

“We are blessed with an incredible collaboration with both the management and the neurosurgical team at Port Moresby General Hospital,” Hales said.

“During the mission we further cemented our relationship with the signing of a memorandum of understanding which signifies our commitment to each other.

“It was a fulfilling mission of high-impact clinical training and education which has left a lasting impression not only on the local team but on the 12 volunteers who can’t wait to get back there later in the year.

“When you can see the difference the training is making, it inspires you to keep going”.

For more information on PNG Angels and to support their mission, visit www.pngangels.org.au.