Oncology, Palliative care and Dermatology visit to Kupang June 2024

A team of :
• 2 oncology expert health professionals- Consultant Dr Ganessan and Chemotherapy infusion suite Nurse unit Manager Joan
• 2 Palliative care experts- Prof Tim and Nurse Practitioner Community Palliative Care Kate
• Dr Gill FOHG team leader /Dermatology,
• Yohannes Sebastianus ( Nus) liason and translation

visited Prof Johannes Hospital Kupang in June 2024.

The timetable was full and varied with:

Teaching/expert lectures in oncology, palliative care and dermatology variously including but not limited to -
• 2 polytecknics, - Poltekkes Marantha and Health Polytechnic of Kupang of the Ministry of Health.
• Invited lecturer Undana medical school University Cendana,
• Nursing presentations at Citra Bangsa university,
• Invited observer medical student examinations,
• Case presentations in clinics.

Clinical unit meetings in oncology, palliative care and dermatology

Scoping visit for needs assessment/mentoring/collaboration of the new palliative care unit

Review of plans for the Cancer centre

Visits to the new University Hospital and Community palliative care home visit

Planning and review meetings with Pharmacy- oncology/palliative care, dermatology, including funding, prescribing and investigation of formulary processes and protocols for new drugs or amendments to existing medications.
Pharmacy special interest multi-disciplinary WhatsApp group set up.

Discussions concerning resourcing, professional team development (including access to post graduate medical training, specialist nurse training), access and adherence to guidelines/protocols and audit review processes were useful. Review of hospital mortality figures and the benefit of good basic data re deaths and audit were discussed.

Perennial constraints of funding, expertise and personnel were again apparent but led to useful discussions of elucidation of short, medium and longer term goals.

Issues of personal protective equipment, chemotherapy provision and protocol adherence were aired in a frank and professional manner.

Hospital management and senior clinician support is essential to see early improvements in these areas, as soon as possible, to align with best practices.
Regular positive reinforcement of high standards with a whole-of -hospital approach will achieve much.

We were again overwhelmed with the generous hospitality and friendship of our colleagues in NTT.Cordial professional relationships were both newly formed and also cemented from longstanding associations and collaborations.
Practical assistance in the form of facilitating access to educational meetings and professional societies relevant to the units was gratefully received.

Overall,the enthusiasm for improvement in health care resources for the province was obvious.

FOHG remains committed to up-skilling, mentoring and capacity building in all these areas and more. Plans are already under way for the next 12 months.

Our special thanks once again, to Pak Nus, our liaison agent and translator for his energy and professionalism.

Oncology, Palliative care and Dermatology visit to Kupang June 2024

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