Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia
The international border between Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) serves as a gateway for the delivery of primary and tertiary healthcare for PNG patients presenting to Australian health facilities with presumptive tuberculosis (TB). An audit of all PNG nationals with presumptive TB who presente...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/9/251 |
| _version_ | 1797481724954804224 |
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| author | J’Belle Foster Diana Mendez Ben J. Marais Justin T. Denholm Dunstan Peniyamina Emma S. McBryde |
| author_facet | J’Belle Foster Diana Mendez Ben J. Marais Justin T. Denholm Dunstan Peniyamina Emma S. McBryde |
| author_sort | J’Belle Foster |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The international border between Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) serves as a gateway for the delivery of primary and tertiary healthcare for PNG patients presenting to Australian health facilities with presumptive tuberculosis (TB). An audit of all PNG nationals with presumptive TB who presented to clinics in the Torres Strait between 2016 and 2019 was conducted to evaluate outcomes for PNG patients and to consider the consistency and equity of decision-making regarding aeromedical evacuation. We also reviewed the current aeromedical retrieval policy and the outcomes of patients referred back to Daru General Hospital in PNG. During the study period, 213 PNG nationals presented with presumptive TB to primary health centres (PHC) in the Torres Strait. In total, 44 (21%) patients were medically evacuated to Australian hospitals; 26 met the evacuation criteria of whom 3 died, and 18 did not meet the criteria of whom 1 died. A further 22 patients who met the medical evacuation criteria into Australia were referred to Daru General Hospital of whom 2 died and 10 were lost to follow-up. The cross-border movement of people from PNG into Australia is associated with an emergent duty of care. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of patient outcomes are necessary for transparency and justice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:18:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4ec0fabfc6a40379fd2bf65332e0878 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2414-6366 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:18:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4ec0fabfc6a40379fd2bf65332e08782023-11-23T19:18:28ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662022-09-017925110.3390/tropicalmed7090251Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, AustraliaJ’Belle Foster0Diana Mendez1Ben J. Marais2Justin T. Denholm3Dunstan Peniyamina4Emma S. McBryde5College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaAustralian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaWHO Collaborating Centre in Tuberculosis, Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (Sydney ID), The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, AustraliaVictorian Tuberculosis Program, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3050, AustraliaTropical Public Health Services, Cairns, QLD 4870, AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaThe international border between Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) serves as a gateway for the delivery of primary and tertiary healthcare for PNG patients presenting to Australian health facilities with presumptive tuberculosis (TB). An audit of all PNG nationals with presumptive TB who presented to clinics in the Torres Strait between 2016 and 2019 was conducted to evaluate outcomes for PNG patients and to consider the consistency and equity of decision-making regarding aeromedical evacuation. We also reviewed the current aeromedical retrieval policy and the outcomes of patients referred back to Daru General Hospital in PNG. During the study period, 213 PNG nationals presented with presumptive TB to primary health centres (PHC) in the Torres Strait. In total, 44 (21%) patients were medically evacuated to Australian hospitals; 26 met the evacuation criteria of whom 3 died, and 18 did not meet the criteria of whom 1 died. A further 22 patients who met the medical evacuation criteria into Australia were referred to Daru General Hospital of whom 2 died and 10 were lost to follow-up. The cross-border movement of people from PNG into Australia is associated with an emergent duty of care. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of patient outcomes are necessary for transparency and justice.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/9/251tuberculosisTorres Straitmedical evacuationcross-border |
| spellingShingle | J’Belle Foster Diana Mendez Ben J. Marais Justin T. Denholm Dunstan Peniyamina Emma S. McBryde Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease tuberculosis Torres Strait medical evacuation cross-border |
| title | Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia |
| title_full | Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia |
| title_fullStr | Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia |
| title_short | Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia |
| title_sort | critical consideration of tuberculosis management of papua new guinea nationals and cross border health issues in the remote torres strait islands australia |
| topic | tuberculosis Torres Strait medical evacuation cross-border |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/9/251 |
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