Dokta Matt
Why DBM
Dear Utah
DOKTA BLONG MI
Why DBM?
The Challenge...​Medicine in Vanuatu
Vanuatu achieved independence from Great Britain and France in 1980. As a new nation, there are many priorities. Achieving basic public healthcare is a process that is maturing gradually on the shoulders of many courageous public servants.
Presently, pediatric care is provided through traditional medicine, a network of nurses and a few small facilities. Grant-funded, temporary doctors at Vila Central Hospital provide most of the formal paediatric care in the country.
Vanuatu made a major one-time investment in its own future by sponsoring the foreign medical education of 36 young students. They have been attending schools in Fiji, Cuba and China. Many have now returned to Vanuatu where they are working as interns. One of the greatest needs, as expressed to us, is greater access to advanced training.
The supervising doctors are extremely devoted and working hard beyond what others will ever appreciate just seeking to meet the needs of the children. They are underfunded, under-resourced and overworked. The interns know that the next decades of care will depend on their education, but worry that they are not prepared. There have been a few doctors before this large group of interns and hopefully others will come, but training Vanuatu's interns is the best of for improved national health.
The Solution...Sustainable Concierge Medicine
​What if a there were a pediatrician in Vanuatu that were able to support himself while augmenting the interns' teaching? This would remove the constraints placed upon the contracted doctors and allow for an investment in a long-term solution.
We propose moving our family to Port Vila, building a very small concierge practice and teaching at Vila Central Hospital and supporting the medical infracstructure. We're calling this model Sustainable Concierge Medicine.
It is our hope that with this model, everyone will benefit; a few children receive 'always on' access to specialized care now, those in greatest need will have greater access at VCH and all children in Vanuatu will have a generation of doctors better trained to look after the unique needs of children.
Our Team...Yumi!
'Dokta Blong Mi'
My Doctor
Ol Pasent
​The Patients
Healt Blo Publik
​Public Health Members
What will it take?
Yumi!
All of us!
In order for this to be successful, we will all need to rely on each other.
Dokta Matt and Vicki will need to come prepared; educationally, financially and in all other ways.
DBM patients and their families will be critical to allowing this social experiment to work. It is our desire that they will have access to the best of what the concierge model has to offer: 24 hour access, home visits, specialized care, transparent communication and support in a country with few medical options. However, we also hope that they will share in our mission of building this great country and its people by improving the health of its children. Only then can these children achieve their educational goals and rise up ready to lead.
Also critical is the cooperation of the public servants as we move forward. We are grateful for the verbal commitments offered when we've been in Vanuatu, successful medical license renewal and business establishment. We look forward to successful MOU implementation and are grateful for the Ministri Blong Helt for its continued encouragement.
We have the faith that as we work together as a team that Sustainable Concierge Medicine can become a model for others desiring to increase access to healthcare to children around the world.
Thank you, Kyrstin, for making such kind videos for us. See her inspirational and professional work.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Simon_sees, Free Grunge Textures - www.freestock.ca