Welcome to WA
The Doctor Network
Making a Difference in the Outback
Interesting Fact
What's the largest monolith in Australia?
Welcome
If you've recently arrived, are in the process of registering or looking at coming, we at Mediventure would like to officially say, Welcome to WA!
As you'll see, WA has much to offer. Aside from the beautiful weather, pristine beaches and scenery, the culture of WA is truly rich & diverse, with people from every culture - our dining/cafe and social scene caters to every taste. To find out more about WA go to our FAQs page or visit the WA Tourism site.
Members of the Mediventure team include people from both the AMA (WA) and RHW. They are available to provide assistance on a range of matters.
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The Doctor Network
The diversity of Doctors in WA is quite varied, with practitioners from all over the world. A few examples include:
Dutch , English , South African , Canadian , Swedish , Nigerian , Indian and many more. On your arrival introductions to fellow country men/women can be arranged on agreeance with all parties.
Visit RHW's Rural Medical Family Network to find out more information about the Doctor Network.
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Making a Difference in the Outback
By Mark Thornley
Photos-Joy Coffey
Arriving in WA’s remote Kimberley region from big city family practices in London and Indianapolis, the transition for overseas trained doctors Bandele Orebanwo and Yolanda Lucas was destined to be challenging.
Based at a new clinic in Yura Yungi and surrounded by an indigenous community ravaged by alcoholism, diabetes and chronic skin diseases, it would be easy to feel overwhelmed.
Like many of Australia’s rural medicine outposts, the isolation and working with remote indigenous people demands new approaches to general practice. For a start, there are no pharmacies or labs, so Yolanda and Bandele consult, self dispense, do their own blood tests and when their indigenous health workers go walkabout, they assist with reception.
“You have to rely more on your clinical skills and judgement,” says Bandele who grew up in the cultural ragout of Nigeria before moving to Europe.
“Getting specialised tests is 3000km and two to three days travel away - and flying someone out urgently depends on how many other emergencies the Royal Flying Doctor Service has to attend to.”
“Our patients are predominantly Aboriginal and the average consultation here would take 30 minutes because we need to show them pictures of blood vessels or other organs to help explain what’s going on.”
Sponsored by the AMA, who organised their immigration papers and arranged the placement at Yuri Yungi and the Kimberly Aboriginal Service (KAMS), the husband wife team are not suffering from culture shock but rather making a difference in the face of adversity.
Now practising for 10 years, Bandele believes one of the biggest challenges at Yuri Yungi is just getting patients to turn up or get on a bus to see a specialist.
“The Aborigines’ mobile lifestyle means that sometimes the easiest way to monitor someone you’re really concerned about is to keep them in hospital and not discharge them because you know you might never see them again,” said Bandele.
“I recently had a patient with blood sugar levels of 22 and after giving her IV fluids and insulin we went to pick her up the next day from her home but she had moved to another community.”
Two years out of residency, Yolanda completed her medical school training at Ross University in Dominica, West Indies.
Working amidst a third world Caribbean community partly prepared her for the social problems marring Halls Creek and she has effectively utilised local indigenous workers to build a rapport with the local community. This has led to an improved understanding of their culture and the significance of men’s and women’s business.
It was this dialogue that alerted the doctors to the need for separate clinics for indigenous patients. After resurrecting an old clinic closer to town, Yolanda now takes women’s business on Thursday nights while ‘Dele’ oversees men’s business on the same night of the alternate week - a strategy that has dramatically improved patient attendance rates.
“We’re trying to be as culturally sensitive as possible while still making it
medically relevant,” explains Yolanda, a sunny African American raised in Ohio.
“I use the health workers a lot when talking about things like sexually transmitted diseases so I can really get my point across. You try and hand hold as much as possible but ultimately you have to instil some sort of autonomy.”
Citing plans for a school outreach program, both Yolanda and Bandele agree the only way to solve the chronic health problems at Yuri Yungi and Halls Creek is to train and educate the local people.
“We’ve had a healthcare worker go back to school to complete her nursing training and we now have three health workers who are interested in becoming doctors.”
“One of them began as a gardener and is now training to be a health worker; after this he wants to go to medical school.”
“Hopefully in 10 years they will return to their community as medical professionals and help treat their own people.”
Teaching the local community aerobics and assisting with a women’s walking group, perhaps Yolanda’s parting words best capture both doctors’ philanthropic spirit.
“We can’t compare ourselves to the Derby Aboriginal Health Service, but we’re making our own little strides. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.”
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