orthopacifix charitable trust

The trip to visit the team at TTM Hospital in Apia started inauspiciously with fog delaying flights into Auckland and a missed connection to Apia. The next flight was two days later and so our clinical time was slightly truncated. The visit consisted of ward rounds, outpatient clinics and operating lists with the local surgeons, Dr Shaun Mauiliu, Dr Areta Samuelu, and the registrars Rob Fa’ataga, Michael XXX and Ariel XXX. Unfortunately the state of TTM Hospital has slowly de

Some learning can only happen when you stand beside an experienced surgeon, examine a patient together, plan the operation, and then see that plan carried into theatre. That was the value of the Australia Vietnam Hand Surgery Course at Hue Central Hospital. It was not just a week of lectures. It was a week of clinics, operating, teaching, practical skills, and shared experience. The course has a long history. It began in 1998 as a collaboration between Australia and Vietnam,

Fog over Auckland was an early reminder that even the best-planned clinical visits depend on things outside anyone’s control. The trip to Samoa from 10 to 21 August 2026 began with delayed flights into Auckland, a missed connection to Apia, and then a two-day wait for the next available service. By the time the team reached Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital, the available clinical time had already been cut short. That was not the start anyone wanted. Yet the visit became valuabl

The PIOA Knee, and Foot & Ankle Module meeting was held in Suva, Fiji from the 11th to 29th September 2023. The two modules were attended...

Suva, Fiji, September 2023 In September the Trust was able to help support the Pacific Island Orthopaedic Association with their training...

It was a great pleasure to be able to travel to Samoa for the first time since 2019 post Covid. The outpatients clinic at Tupua Tamasese...

We welcomed Naseri Aitaoto to begin work as an orthopaedic registrar at Tauranga Hospital in October. Naseri is from Pago Pago and has...

Our first Orthopacifix visit in 3 years since the pandemic began was to Rarotonga this year. It was an emotional visit as it was also the...

It was a huge delight to be able to rejoin our friends and colleagues in the Pacific Islands Orthopaedic Association at the spine and hip...

We were delighted to host Dr Thomas Kiele from Lae, Papua New Guinea as the Pacific Island Ambassador and Dr Stephen Kodovaru from...

Orthopaedic surgeons James Aoina, Sotiata Leilua and Hamish Leslie, along with Stryker Orthopacifix travelling award recipient Tim Chuang...

Andrew Vane and Canadian fellow Scott Westberg visited the beautiful Cook Islands for a week in early May. Surgeon Dr Deacon Teapa was...

Several Orthopacifix surgeons joined with Australian, Swiss and Solomon Island colleagues to teach and mentor on this Introductory...

One hectic week working at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in Apia! 11 surgeries and more than 60 new patient consultations. Shaun...

The paediatric and tumour modules of the Pacific Island Orthopaedics Association training scheme was held from July 30th to August 17th...

Finally after a few customs wrangles and persuasive work from Dr Thomas Kiele in Port Moresby the complete large fragment set made it to...

It is always a pleasure to work with the amazing team at the Rarotonga Hospital in the Cook Islands, and this was especially the case...

The PIOA Trauma and Research Modules were held in Madang, Papua New Guinea from January 29th to February 16th, 2018. In total 20 trainees...

Vaughan Poutawera and Andrew Vane spent a very busy week in Honiara, Solomon Islands teaching orthopaedic trainees at a Pacific Island...

We are very pleased to have Dr Shaun Mauiliu visit us from Samoa to work in our department in order to develop his skills in orthopaedic...