CHRIS WHIGHT AND MYANMAR
OPERATION OPEN HEART





Operation Open Heart is a voluntary program which seeks to develop skills exchange for specialist medical groups in developing countries. Since 2003 a dedicated team from across Brisbane have joined with colleagues from other Australian hospitals to develop the program in Myanmar.

The Queensland team has visited Myanmar approximately 9 times in the past 6 years, donating time, services and materials to an estimated value of $1.5 million. The team has a firm commitment to developing technical skills among their Burmese colleagues, and in the last few visits, exciting progress is emerging due to availability of current technology allowing continuous interactive teaching pathways. The team believes that the next 2-5 years will see establishment of local facilities for treatment of congenital heart disease in infants not previously possible.

In February 10 dedicated medical experts from Brisbane paid their own way to return to Yangon General Hospital and Defence Services Hospital to treat more than 100 children and adults with heart disease. Approximately 30 patients were selected for surgery to teach advanced surgical techniques to the committed local doctors. The group was supported by generous donations of equipment from medical supplies companies and pharmaceutical companies to ensure that the patients were given the best possible treatment and outcomes. By developing strong partnerships with the Burmese medical teams, a world class model of skills exchange and interactive long distance medical teaching is being pioneered through the expertise and vision of this team.

As well as the team leader (former cardiac surgeon), the group included 2 cardiologists, 1 surgeon, 2 clinical cardiac nurses, a specialist perfusionist (cardiac bypass specialist), a cardiac scientist (echocardiographer), a trainee paediatric cardiologist, and a biomedical engineer. These individuals work in a number of Brisbane hospitals including The Prince Charles Hospital, The Mater, and the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

The majority of these people have visited Myanmar and other Operation Open Heart programs numerous times in the past. This is indicative of the team members' commitment to the long term success of the program and their own strong personal commitments to assisting countries like Myanmar to continue to develop world class medical services. Operation Open Heart started in 1986 and is coordinated out of the Sydney Adventist Hospital. The program takes medical teams to more than 13 countries, primarily in the Asia Pacific region. All members pay their own way. One Brisbane member, Dr Alan Gale, has been involved since the beginning and has done more than 1000 operations. Thousands of patients have been assessed and their treatment has been a vital teaching process for doctors in these developing countries.

One of the crucial elements of the program is the ability and adaptability of specialist medical staff to perform at a high clinical level in unfamiliar and often ill-equipped facilities. A common quality of the team members is their high level of professional expertise which enables them to deliver high quality medical service, teaching and operations in an often very challenging environment. This demonstrates their personal dedication to striving for excellent health care for all. The Brisbane team listed below have been nominated for the Pride of Australia Medal 2009.

Cardiologist: Dr Darren Walters
Paediatric Cardiologist: Dr Chris Whight
Clinical Nurse Consultant: Cathy Gough
Clinical Nurse: Denise Grant
Perfusionist: Lynne McKellar:
Cardiac Scientist: Belinda Shearer
Paediatric Surgeon: Dr Graham Nunn
Surgeon: Dr Alan Gale (Team Leader)
Paediatric Cardiologist: Dr Jason Wildschut
Biomedical Engineer: Venerando Leotta