Lorne nurse returns from Pacific COVID mission

WHEN Vanuatu’s two-year COVID free status dramatically ended in March this year and its government reached out for Australian assistance, Lorne nurse Jason Phieler again put his hand up to assist Pacific nations dealing with outbreaks.

Speaking after his recent return from deployment where he and four other Australian health professionals assisted the nation with its pandemic response on Efate and Santo islands, the Great Ocean Road Hospital nurse unit manager said he was compelled to help.

“Living in a wealthy nation, such as Australia, I feel like it’s our obligation to assist our Pacific neighbours in times of emergency,” he said.

“Whilst Vanuatu has remained COVID free for the last two years, they have gone from zero cases to widespread community transmission
in just one month, overwhelming their health system.”

Working regionally for three decades, Mr Phieler can appreciate the stresses and limitations that less well-resourced health systems face when attempting to manage the pandemic.

“My heart goes out to those frontline workers, having experienced it here, but witnessing them doing it in a resource poor environment,” he said.

“Obviously they’re really grateful for the support, because they’re just as anxious as we were when we were going through it.

“We’ve got a responsibility to these Pacific nations that hadn’t experienced what we had.”

It’s his third Pacific trip in 12 months, travelling to Papua New Guinea in April last year as the nation grappled with its Delta outbreak and then to Fiji later in the year as its health system came under strain when COVID numbers spiked there.

“I’m very grateful and privileged to do what I do,” he said of the missions.

The deployments may well continue in the future, he was asked to go back in coming weeks, but Australia’s continuing outbreak means he is also needed in Lorne.

“We’re still in full PPE,” Mr Phieler said.

“We’re in COVID peak at the moment here, still … we’re furloughing staff within the Vic health system, so I am tied here at the moment.”