Building Capability and Capacity: The Establishment of an Oncology Unit in the Solomon Islands

Abstract

PURPOSE: To describe the establishment of an oncology unit at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in the Solomon Islands, a low-income nation in the South Pacific. METHODS: A scoping visit was carried out in 2016 to assist in the development of coordinated cancer services and to establish a medical oncology unit at the NRH at the request of the Medical Superintendent. This was followed by an observership visit to Canberra by an NRH doctor training in oncology in 2017. After a request from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) arranged an in-country multidisciplinary mission under the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons/Royal Australasian College of Physicians Pacific Islands Program to help in the commissioning of the NRH Medical Oncology Unit in September 2018. Staff training and education sessions were held. The team, with the assistance of an Australian Volunteers International Pharmacist, has helped the NRH staff to develop localized Solomon Islands Oncology Guidelines. Donated equipment and supplies have helped with the initial establishment of the service. A second DFAT Oncology mission visit was made in 2019 followed by two NRH oncology nurses visiting Canberra on observership later that year and support of the Solomon's doctor to pursue postgraduate education in cancer sciences. Ongoing mentorship and support has been maintained. RESULTS: The island nation now has a sustainable oncology unit delivering chemotherapy treatments and management of patients with cancer. CONCLUSION: A collaborative multidisciplinary team approach by professionals from the high-income country working with colleagues from the low-income nation with coordination of different stakeholders was the key to this successful initiative in improving cancer care.