WA in healthy partnership with African nations

7/09/2016 

• WA hospital equipment supports health care projects 

Surplus medical equipment from the decommissioning of Princess Margaret Hospital will be donated to African health facilities to help improve care in that region, Premier Colin Barnett said today.

Ahead of this week's Africa Down Under Conference in Perth, Mr Barnett took the opportunity to show Zambian High Commissioner George Kanyamula Zulu the electrocardiograph machine, which will be one of a number of items shipped to Zambia, neighbouring countries and non-government organisations in the coming months.

"It is important we partner with our Indian Ocean neighbours economically, culturally and through community support. This is a gift from the people of Western Australia," Mr Barnett said.

"Our decision to donate surplus equipment follows a shipment earlier this year of a large consignment of ward and operating theatre hardware to Zambia from the old Swan District Hospital.  Having visited Zambia in 2014, I am confident these donations will help their dedicated health care workers provide patients with better outcomes."

Since 2010, Western Australian hospitals have donated thousands of items of medical equipment - worth millions of dollars to purchase new - to African countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somaliland.  These included crutches, dressing trolleys, hospital beds, walking frames, operating tables, microscopes and electronic equipment.

Health Minister John Day said the support of African health care was not limited to medical donations but extended to development initiatives run by the Department of Health.

"Since 2010, the Global Health Alliance Western Australia (GHAWA) has been particularly successful in providing education and training short courses in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," he said.

"Delivered by Western Australian health professionals, it has boosted the capacity of the local nursing and midwifery workforce."

Mr Day said WA Health's provision for community service leave was another initiative having a positive effect.  Under the program, WA Health staff can take up to two weeks of paid leave to perform charitable community work, with volunteers heading to various African countries including Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Fact File

• The decommissioning of the State rehabilitation centre at Shenton Park provided a large amount of equipment to support African hospitals
• For more information about GHAWA, visit http://www.globalhealthalliance.com.au