As a senior obstetrics and gynaecology registrar, I recently completed a six-month volunteer assignment at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, as part of the Australian Volunteers Program. This program is an Australian Government-funded initiative that supports global volunteering and locally-led change.

Only a three-hour flight from Brisbane and one of our nearest neighbors, Solomon Islands is a low-income country, and a world away from the comforts and lifestyle of inner-city Melbourne that I am used to. Solomon Islands has significant geographical, economical, and logistical barriers that impact the provision of healthcare to women and newborn babies, leading to high maternal and perinatal mortality rates.

Dr Siobhan Langford with the O&G team at National Referral Hospital, Honiara, Solomon Islands. Photo credit: Siobhan Langford

Arriving in Honiara with my family, I was greeted by the Australian Volunteers Program in-country team who helped us settle in. The incredible team of O&G doctors and midwives working at NRH also welcomed me. They are some of the most resilient people I have ever met, working with challenging conditions, including shortages of blood and oxytocin, difficulties accessing theatre and falling ill with endemic diseases such as malaria and dengue themselves.

During my assignment, I worked in the antenatal ward, labour ward and gynaecology ward providing clinical supervision and support to local registrars and interns. I also worked with the consultants to help develop their Obstetric Clinical Guidelines, which will be finalised and introduced into practice by the end of 2025. Teaching bedside ultrasound and caesarean section surgical skills to the registrars was also very enjoyable and rewarding, as were the numerous research opportunities I had during my assignment.

I would encourage any other senior trainee that has an interest in global obstetric care to consider a placement such as this during their training.

During my time volunteering at NRH, I learnt the true resilience and strength of women – both patients and colleagues. Learning how to manage complex medical, obstetrics and gynaecology problems in a resource-limited setting was a steep learning curve for me and will be of significant benefit to me in my future clinical practice. While living and working in Honiara was challenging personally and professionally, the impacts and benefits of my assignment have made it worthwhile.

Gaining an understanding of how obstetric care is delivered in such a setting as NRH gave me an incredible perspective upon returning to work in Melbourne. The ready access to resources, expertise of other specialists and availability of medicines, blood products and theatre, have highlighted how truly fortunate we are in Australia.

I would encourage any other senior trainee that has an interest in global obstetric care to consider a placement such as this during their training. It was wonderful working with and learning from the members of the NRH O&G team, and equally they were happy to learn from my experiences training in Australia. I am so appreciative to the team for allowing me to become part of their O&G family. Tagio Tumas!

In addition to the support from the Australian Volunteers Program for her assignment, Dr Siobhan Langford also received the Miriam O’Connor Travelling Scholarship from the RANZCOG Women’s Health Foundation.