Australian Paediatric Surgical Specialists Advances Capacity Building and Local Workforce Development at National Referral Hospital

In group photo: The Australian Paediatric Surgical Specialists with the Children and caregiver outside of the children’s ward.

Visiting Australian surgical specialists are collaborating with doctors and nurses at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) to build local surgical skills.

The Paediatric Surgery Specialist Team from Canberra Hospital delivered significant teaching during its recent visit. The training took place in theatre and on the wards for nurses and doctors involved in surgical care, as well as through multiple workshops on paediatric and neonatal life support skills, recognition of the sick child and procedural skills training.

The training was led by Dr Carol Leerdam and Dr Amy Ting. In the long term, local educators will be equipped to continue delivering training under a train-the-trainer model, supporting sustainable, locally led change.

Australian High Commissioner Jeff Roach highlighted the importance of long‑term collaboration and skills‑building.

“The dedication shown by NRH’s leadership, clinicians and nurses in working side by side with the Australian paediatric surgery specialists is genuinely inspiring,” High Commissioner Roach said.

“Providing urgent care is important, but this partnership is also about sharing knowledge, mentoring the next generation of health professionals, and building lasting local expertise.

“Together, these efforts are helping to transform paediatric surgical care, ensuring safer operations and stronger, more sustainable services for Solomon Islands children and families.”

The Australian team’s long-term vision, to shift from direct surgical interventions to a supportive role that empowers the growing local surgical capacity, is already being implemented. A landmark achievement in this journey is Dr. Stallone Kohia’s recent offer of a paediatric surgical training position at Canberra Hospital, with paperwork currently underway. This milestone marks a major leap forward in professional development and the vital transfer of expertise.

Focused discussions on fellowship and training placements for NRH nursing staff in Brisbane or Canberra also highlighted the critical value of intensive, short-term attachments. When it comes to developing local skills and confidence, these practical training experiences in operative instances are proven to be significantly more beneficial than long observational sessions.

The urgency of these training initiatives is underscored by the rising prevalence and severity of paediatric burn injuries presenting at NRH. Recent visits have revealed an alarming increase in severe burn cases, some causing significant disfigurement. Treating such complex burns demands considerable resources, emphasising the critical need for specialized burns training to improve patient outcomes.

To complement these efforts, the team introduced a high-quality burns dressing product known for its durability and ability to promote wound healing while reducing the frequency of dressing changes. Targeted training for NRH nursing staff is essential to ensure effective use and maximum benefit. In addition, the team emphasised the need for more community and regional health centre education on burn prevention, first aid and early management, to reduce severe morbidity before patients are transferred to Honiara.

These robust training and capacity-building efforts are empowering the NRH workforce to deliver exceptional, specialised paediatric surgical services and reduce reliance on overseas referrals.