[ISRAELI VOLUNTEERS ON THE YWAM SHIP, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, 2018]

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a young nation. It has been independent since 1975. It consists of more than 290 inhabited islands, and its people speak more than 800 different languages. The GDP per capita is $2100, and only 4.3% is spent on health care. Government services are scarce in remote islands. It is a tropical country, with many tropical diseases. YWAM Medical Ships - Australia is a Christian charity that is actively developing communities by addressing health care and training needs in PNG in partnership with the relevant national and provincial government administrations. The program is guided by the PNG's National Health Plan: 2011- 2020.

As part of this effort YWAM runs the YWAM PNG, a large hospital ship that serves the remote parts of the country. The services provided include mentoring and support of local health care teams, eye surgery, dentistry, and three mobile teams that include primary health care, mother and child care, childhood immunizations, physiotherapy, optometry and health education The Israeli Ministry for Foreign Affairs signed a joint declaration of intent (DOI) with YWAM last year. The DOI outlines the Ministry for Foreign Affairs commitment to encourage Israeli medical professionals to volunteer onboard the MV YWAM PNG, in rural and remote areas of PNG.

This paper summarizes the experience of four infectious diseases specialists on board. The main infections observed were malaria, tuberculosis, tropical ulcers and filariasis.

The exposure to primary care in a remote part of the world is an emotional, personal and professional experience which can benefit the population the ship serves, as well as the volunteers, for whom the outreach on the ship is a memorable experience.