ADF Health September 2003 - Volume 4 Number 2LettersBeing a good neighbour
TO THE EDITOR: Much has been made of a perceived change in the foreign policy of the Australian government with its commitment of Australian Defence Force personnel to a policing support role in our neighbour states, such as the Solomon Islands. Papua New Guinea has already voiced its support for such an effort, and Australia is to be commended for wanting to help. At the recent Military Medicine Conference in Sydney in 2002, I presented a paper on the use of ADF Reserve personnel with the catchy title of "Goodwill hunting". I suggested that the ADF could put together teams of medical specialists in various disciplines and could deploy such teams on a short-term basis to provide a much-needed resource to our neighbours. Such medical deployments by ADF personnel demonstrate our goodwill towards our neighbours and can do much to engender goodwill in return. The argument is often made that there is no support facility after these experts leave. The answer, in part, is for deployed personnel to provide an educative service to local doctors, perhaps supported by ongoing training within Australia for doctors from our region. I feel confident that there are sufficient like-minded colleagues who would be prepared to contribute their time and expertise to such an effort. We have a wonderful opportunity for Australia to show a commitment to the improved health of neighbouring peoples - and what better way to do so than in the proud uniform of the ADF?
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