Hadassah Brings Pediatric Emergency Expertise to Vanuatu

A delegation from the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) recently traveled thousands of miles to the South Pacific archipelago nation of Vanuatu to train local healthcare professionals in pediatric emergency medicine in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit was featured in the Israeli newspaper Maariv and highlighted by Vanuatu’s minister of health.

The mission was part of Tevel (Children), HMO’s international medical outreach program that brings Hadassah medical professionals to communities around the world to share expertise and strengthen local healthcare teams through training and collaboration. To date, the Tevel program has operated primarily in Africa.

Led by Dr. Saar Hashavya, director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, the team of Hadassah pediatric specialists combined medical expertise, education and technology with an emphasis on mutual learning, capacity building and lasting professional relationships.

“It is a source of great pride to bring Israeli medical expertise to places that have never encountered us before, to see local teams benefit from the training and support and experience advanced technologies for the first time,” Dr. Hashavya said.

The HMO team provided instruction in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), pediatric emergency medicine and the medical transport of critically ill children.

Vanuatu is made up of dozens of islands spread across vast distances, creating significant challenges in providing advanced medical care, particularly in isolated areas and within a healthcare system with limited resources. Medical transport is especially important, as safely transferring a sick child from a remote location to a medical center capable of providing advanced care can present significant medical and logistical challenges.

Training took place at Vanuatu’s central hospital and included classroom instruction, extensive hands-on practice, simulations and virtual reality. It was the local medical teams’ first opportunity to experience virtual reality technology as part of their medical education.

Through its work in Vanuatu, the HMO team sought to share the excellence and innovation of Israeli medicine while building relationships through friendship, partnership and a commitment to helping people regardless of religion, race, gender or origin.

The goal of the program is not merely to arrive, teach and return home but to build lasting connections through knowledge, medicine and partnership.