The Medical Society and the Medical Journal, with comments on pigbel, swollen belly syndrome, kuru and other Papua New Guinean medical icons
- Author:
Michael P. Alpers
1
Author Information
1. Curtin University Perth, Western Australia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Medicine,
- From:
Papua New Guinea medical journal
2015;58(1-4):61-71
- CountryPapua New Guinea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The Fiftieth Annual Medical Symposium of the Medical Society of Papua New Guinea
held in Goroka from 31 August to 3 September 2014 celebrated the success of the Medical
Society and the Papua New Guinea Medical Journal. This paper was presented as an
address at the meeting and praised the work of medical doctors, allied health staff,
medical scientists and research staff engaged in the field and laboratory for their many
achievements over these 50 years. It describes the major Papua New Guinean medical icons
of kuru, pigbel and swollen belly syndrome and draws out lessons learned from them and
the research that elucidated them. Other medical icons that are briefly described include
neonatal tetanus, Burkitt lymphoma, standard treatment books, respiratory bacteriology,
insecticide-treated bednets, pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, a blood-stage malaria
vaccine, snakebite, conservative management of ruptured spleen, radial paralysis in
leprosy, the response to BCG and the BCG leprosy trial, bottle-feeding legislation, betelnut
chewing and oral cancer, hyperreactive malarious splenomegaly, genetic polymorphisms
associated with malaria, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, donovanosis, endemic
goitre and endemic cretinism, lymphatic filariasis, adult asthma and sago haemolytic
disease. Attention is also drawn to likely future challenges – from infectious diseases
and their unpredictability, outbreaks of disease on a global scale, climate change, the
difficulty of establishing effective community engagement in the pursuit of greater equity
in health and well-being, and the need to ensure that the mineral wealth of the nation is
used for everybody’s benefit. A Health Think-Tank is proposed as a means of developing
innovative and efficient ways of improving the health of all Papua New Guineans.
