The Place
Etep is a small village, at an elevation of
about 2,000 ft. or 600 meters. It lies on a slope, which leads
to the mighty Sarawaget range, just about in the middle between
Madang and Lae in the Northern part of Papua New Guinea. On
clear days, it offers a beautiful view.
The infrastructure is not well developed.
Etep is situated on a Jeep road (very rough) which connects
Wasu, the main wharf, with Kabwum, one major market in the
highlands. It takes about one hour to reach Etep from Wasu,
about two and a half to reach from Kabwum. Access is difficult.
This is valid for the patients in need of care, as well as for
anyone who wants to visit Etep.
There are supposed to be regular flights,
twice weekly from Lae to Wasu, three times weekly from Lae to
Kabwum, and in addition a once weekly shipping service from Lae
to Wasu (an overnight journey). But quite often the flights are
cancelled, and even more often this is valid for the shipping
service. The positive side of the remoteness is the almost
untouched nature. Fortunately mining has not started yet in
this area. You can see a number of impressive waterfalls,
untouched jungle and pure nature.
Some practical advises:
- Papua New Guinea is not cheap, due to a present boom in
mining prices have gone up. Access is expensive, and so is
the cost of living. On the other hand in a place like Etep it
is hard to spend a lot of money.
- You will have to accept a very simple life style. Basic
food items are available, but still it has to be accepted to
adapt to local food. Especially meat is hard to find.
- The climate is humid, though not as pressing hot as in in
coastal areas. Temperature is around 18°C in the morning
and around 27°C in the afternoon. Nights are cool and
pleasant.
Main dangers and annoyances:
- The major health risk is Malaria, so a proper prophylaxis
is recommended. Other risks are as usual.
- When being in major cities it is not recommended to stay
outside after 6 p.m...
The Hospital
The Hospital has been originally a leprosy
station, founded in the 1950s by German missionaries. Slowly it
grew and became a hospital.
Now it is serving a population of about
50,000 to 70,000 people. The health service is run by the
Lutheran Church and the so-called Lutheran Health Services.
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| © 2012 G. Kittel |
The hospital has around 60 beds, around 20
nurses and 2 doctors. There is an operation theatre, an
ultrasound and an x-ray facility and a small laboratory. Basic
Primary Health Care is done; regular visits to the villages are
performed by the Mother/Child Health team.
The outreach clinics are offering the rare
opportunity to come in close contact with people and to observe
village life directly in an area, where is more or less no
tourism at all. But Papua New Guinea is not only a paradise.
Mining has pushed up prices tremendously and the difference
between those who take profit out of it and those who do not is
enormous. As a consequence the crime rate in the big cities is
strikingly high. Fortunately in an area like Etep you do not
feel those problems.
The main health issues are Malaria,
respiratory tract diseases, complications during pregnancy and
delivery, accidents and infections. But, of course, you find
almost everything.
More Details
Professional requirements: Quoting an
English guide: You must be a medical student who is
registered for and attending a course of study leading to a
degree or diploma from a university. Furthermore, this
should not be your very first elective as you should be able to
assess a patient and have at least a basic knowledge of
drugs.
It is your responsibility to make
sure an elective at Etep is recognized by your university.
Unless you bring along a special form, the confirmation of your
elective will be written on hospital letterhead stationery and
carry a hospital stamp.
A good knowledge of English is
essential.
Minimum duration of stay: 3 weeks,
preferably longer (it takes you about a week to get here and
another week to get back).
Number of students at the same time:
As Etep is a small hospital and accommodation is a bit of a
problem, one student at a time is preferred. Of course, it is
understood, that there is the wish of a company. Still we
cannot accept more than two students at the same time.
Cost of accommodation: to be
determined, will likely be around 30
Kina/night (approx. USD 14.50).
Clothing: Doctors are wearing normal
clothing, shorts are appropriate for males. Women's clothing
should cover thighs and knees, bare thighs and knees are
considered indecent in Melanesia. Please wear skirts or pants
long enough to cover your knees.
Vaccinations: polio, tetanus, measles, hepatitis A
and B
are a must! Yellow fever: not necessary (unless
you arrive from a country where yellow fever is endemic).
Insurances: A travel insurance
covering (at least) medical expenses and loss (theft) of
baggage is highly recommended. A professional malpractice
(liability) insurance is not required.
Internet Access: Internet connection
is poor. In Etep itself communication is not possible. The next
facility needs a walk of about 40 minutes uphill. The base
station needs sunshine as it is solar powered and is off-line
about two-thirds of the time. You need a 3G USB stick (or a
built-in device) and a local SIM card (
Digicel) for it. But even then
it is very, very slow. For phone calls (and SMS) the same
advice is valid.
Interested?
If you are interested to make a 'different'
experience, you are most welcome and do not hesitate to contact
me. The only way of communication is by email. You can get in
touch with me at
guenterkittel@hermannoberli.ch. Please, be
also aware, that you might have to wait for a reply for a
couple of days.
Due to the poor internet
connection, please, confine any email to us to not more than
100 Kbyte, no photos, scans, or other large attachments!
Looking forward to seeing you,
Günter Kittel
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 About me: I am a trauma surgeon
and G.P.. For the last 15 years I have been working in
tropical areas, mainly Pacific region, Nepal, Afghanistan
and Pakistan. My wife is from Nepal; she is a midwife and
a nurse and takes care of Primary Health Care. (Photo
© 2005 R. Johnson)
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© August 2012 Günter Kittel
