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Health Minister describes comments as ignorant; says screw surgery was standard

By
Kalino Latu
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The Minister of Health, Dr. Saia Piukala, has described comments posted on Facebook about a hip operation on a young girl as derogatory and based on ignorance.

He said he was deeply concerned at the level of negative comments the people made about the Ministry as it greatly affect the morale of his staff.

The online comments were made after a young girl from Pangaimotu underwent hip surgery in Tonga and then underwent further surgery in New Zealand.

The girl suffered from Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE), a condition that requires surgery to stop the head of the femur (thigh bone) from slipping out of alignment.

Surgeons in Tonga performed the surgery on the girl and a screw was used before the girl was released to her home in Vava’u.

Dr. Piukala said the use of a screw was standard and was used in many hospitals in New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

The metal screw was to make sure it kept the femur in position.

However, a group of Lottery volunteers from New Zealand visited Pangaimotu after the girl returned from surgery and noticed she was limping.

They volunteered to take her to New Zealand for further treatment.

During surgery in Hamilton the screw that had been used in Tonga was removed.

After the operation a photo purporting to show the screw that was used in the young girl’s hip was posted to Facebook.

The poster implied that the girl’s parents were shocked to learn that a screw had been inserted into their daughter’s body by the Tongan surgeons.

This has sent shock waves among Facebook users and triggered a series of heated debate across social media.

Some questioned the academic and professional background of the Tongan surgeons, why a screw had been used in the treatment of the girl and whether her limping had been caused by the screw.

Dr. Piukala said the screw was specially manufactured to be used in such operations.

He said if the girl had been sent to New Zealand for her initial treatment the surgeons would have used the same screw to help relieve her condition.

Illustration and x-ray of in situ fixation. A single screw is inserted to prevent any further slip of the femoral head through the growth plate. (Left) Courtesy of John Killian, MD, Birmingham, AL. (Right) Reproduced from Weber MD, Naujoks R, Smith BG: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Orthopaedic Knowledge Online Journal 2008; 6(2). Accessed June 2016.
Illustration and x-ray of in situ fixation. A single screw is inserted to prevent any further slip of the femoral head through the growth plate. (Left) Courtesy of John Killian, MD, Birmingham, AL. (Right) Reproduced from Weber MD, Naujoks R, Smith BG: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Orthopaedic Knowledge Online Journal 2008; 6(2). Accessed June 2016.

Description

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) SCFE or Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis is the most common hip disorder in adolescents. In SCFE, the epiphysis, or head of the femur (thighbone), slips down and backwards off the neck of the bone at the growth plate, the weaker area of bone that has not yet developed.

The AAOS said CFE usually developed during periods of rapid growth, shortly after the onset of puberty. In boys, this most commonly occurred between the ages of 12 and 16; in girls, between the ages of 10 and 14.

Sometimes SCFE occurred suddenly after a minor fall or trauma. More often, however, the condition developed gradually over several weeks or months, with no previous injury.

Treatment

“The goal of treatment is to prevent the mildly displaced femoral head from slipping any further. This is always accomplished through surgery,” the AAOS said.

“Early diagnosis of SCFE provides the best chance of stabilizing the hip and avoiding complications. When treated early and appropriately, long-term hip function can be expected to be very good.”

Procedures

Surgery to deal with SCFE includes a procedure known as in situ fixation which is usually used for patients with a mild or stable condition.  In this procedure the surgeon makes a small incision near the hip, then inserts a metal screw across the growth plate to maintain the position of the femoral head and prevent any further slippage.

According to the AAOS, over time, the growth plate will close, or fuse. Once the growth plate is closed, no further slippage can occur.

The main points

  • The Minister of Health, Dr. Said Piukala, has described comments posted on Facebook about a hip operation on a young girl as irrational, derogatory and based on ignorance.
  • He said he was deeply concerned at the level of negative comments the people made about the Ministry as it greatly affect the morale of his staff.
  • The online comments were made after a young girl from Pangaimotu underwent hip surgery in Tonga and then underwent further surgery in New Zealand.
  • The girl suffered from Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE), a condition that requires surgery to stop the head of the femur (thigh bone) from slipping out of alignment.

For more information

Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Machete attack during drunken brawl, two men hospitalised

By
Alpha Latu
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Tongan police are investigating a brawl in a bush allotment in Niutoua, which led to two men being hospitalised on Sunday 24.

The men, in their 30s and 40s, received serious injuries but in stable condition after they were attacked with a machete and a piece of wood, Police said.

They said several people were involved in the drunken brawl after an argument broke out between the two men.

Police alleged a man left the fight and returned with the machete.

He allegedly attacked another man before another man was believed to have attacked him with the piece of timber.

No charges have been laid and Police investigation continues.

Reward offered to find two missing mongooses, remains tested in NZ declared cat

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga’s Department of Quarantine has offered a TP$100 reward to anyone who can help find the two mongooses still missing in Tonga.

Following leads from the public the department collected furs and remains of what they believed were of a dead animal in Kolofoʻou early this month.

The remains were sent to New Zealand for scientific examination and to confirm whether or not  they belonged to the mongooses.

But these have since been officially declared as cat remains, Quarantine Department spokesperson Graham Malaʻefoʻou said.

Six mongooses made their way into the kingdom through a container of paints that was shipped from Fiji.

Three of the mammals were found dead and the other three escaped when the container was opened on June 8.

One of the escapees was eventually cornered and recaptured while the other two still missing.

“Anyone who can find the mongooses “dead or alive” will get the $100″, Malaʻefoʻou said.

mongoose

Mongoose

Mongooses are not native to Tonga. The mammals were first introduced into the kingdom’s neighbouring country Fiji in 1883 to control rats in sugar cane fields.

According to the National Geographic website mongooses are primarily found in Africa.

Ranging in size from the 7-inch-long (18-centimeter-long) dwarf mongoose to the 2-foot-long (60-centimeter-long) Egyptian mongoose; these sleek mammals have long bodies with short legs and tapered snouts.

They normally have brown or gray grizzled fur, and a number of species sport striped coats or ringed tails.

Tongan immigrant among 112 ex-convicts arrested in California

By
Kaniva Staff
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The US Immigration authorities have arrested a Tongan man who was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon.

The arrest was part of an operation sting that saw 112 people arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a four-day operation  in Los Angeles and other counties.

The operation ended Thursday last week.

“Those with deportation orders could return to their countries immediately, while the rest will go before an immigration judge”, Californian media reported.

“Many of those arrested had been released from jail under a 2014 state law that prevents local law enforcement agencies from holding immigrants convicted of lesser crimes once they serve their sentences, ICE Deputy Field Director David Marin told the Los Angeles Times”.

In some cases, immigration officials take custody of convicts upon their release from jails in California. In others, the convicts are released into the community and immigration agents go out to re-arrest them, as they did this week.

Ten teenagers and men charged with manslaughter as body of Fuapau laid to rest

By
Kalino Latu
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Ten men and teenagers, some as young as 14 have been arrested and charged with the manslaughter of ʻAlani Fuapau after an incident on July 9 in Nukuʻalofa.

A funeral service was held today July 25 for the 19-year-old Fuapau of  Sopu who died in hospital on July 17 after he was in coma for eight days.

Tongan Police said today the accused were all from the village of Kahoua in Tongatapu.

Police began arresting the accused over the weekend with the last arrest made on Sunday, July 24.

They all remain in custody to appear at the Nukuʻalofa  Magistrate’s Court today.

Tonga Prime Minister to visit NZ

By
Kaniva Staff
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Prime Minister John Key today announced Tonga Prime Minister Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva will visit New Zealand later this week.

“I am very pleased to welcome Mr Pohiva to New Zealand on his first official visit as Prime Minister,” Mr Key says.

“New Zealand and Tonga have a strong relationship, built around our long history of cooperation and the significant Tongan population in New Zealand.

“As one of our closest neighbours, working together to advance Tonga’s development objectives with support from our aid programme is a key priority,” Mr Key says.

Mr Pohiva will visit New Zealand between 27 – 30 July and will be formally welcomed in a ceremony at Government House in Auckland on 28 July.

During his visit Mr Pohiva will take part in a wreath laying ceremony at Auckland War Memorial Museum and visit Tongan workers in Nelson who are part of the Recognised Seasonal Employers scheme.

Queensland mother Melesisi missing with her daughters, aged 7 and 12

By
Kaniva Staff
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Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a woman missing from Woodridge.

Melesisi Pati, 34, was last seen at a Garfield Road home around midday on Monday July 20.

Mrs Pati may be travelling with her children, a 7-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl.

Police hold concerns for her welfare as she has not been in touch with her family or friends and this is out of character.

She is described as Pacific Islander in appearance, a large build, around 164 centimetres tall with black hair and brown eyes.

She has a tattoo of an arm band wrapping around the left upper arm.

Anyone who may have seen Mrs Pati or her children are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

NZDF-led projects boost drought resilience of Tongan communities

By
Kalino Latu
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Tongan officials said community projects undertaken by a multinational task group led by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) were expected to reduce the vulnerability of remote communities to the impact of drought.

The projects, designed to improve water storage in two main islands in Tonga’s Ha’apai island group, were undertaken as part of Exercise Tropic Twilight 2016 and formally handed over today to the Tongan government.

“Tropic Twilight conducted a vast field of activities that will directly improve the resilience of communities in Ha’apai in addressing some water security issues and safety equipment shortages. It was also an opportune time to collaborate with partners to address health issues,” said Siaosi Sovaleni, Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister.

Lieutenant Colonel (LTCOL) Josh Wineera, NZDF Task Force Commander and Senior National Officer, said about 40 personnel from the New Zealand Army and the Royal New Zealand Air Force worked alongside engineers from Tonga, China and the United States to improve water storage and sanitation in Lifuka and Foa islands.

Nine 10,000-litre water storage tanks were installed at churches, the fire station and city hall in Pangai, the administrative capital village of Ha’apai. The multinational task group also built a toilet block near the Pangai Ferry Terminal.

On the health front, medical personnel from New Zealand and Australia worked with Tongan medical staff to conduct environmental health tests to assess the risk of communicable diseases such as dengue and the zika virus to the local population.

Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Chantelle Ramage from the Royal New Zealand Air Force and colleagues from the United States and Australia visit a school in Lifuka, one of two main islands in Tonga’s Ha’apai island group. LAC Ramage forms part of the multinational task group led by the New Zealand Defence Force that has been undertaking humanitarian projects in Tonga as part of Exercise Tropic Twilight 2016.
Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Chantelle Ramage from the Royal New Zealand Air Force and colleagues from the United States and Australia visit a school in Lifuka, one of two main islands in Tonga’s Ha’apai island group. LAC Ramage forms part of the multinational task group led by the New Zealand Defence Force that has been undertaking humanitarian projects in Tonga as part of Exercise Tropic Twilight 2016.

“Apart from the construction projects, members of the multinational task group also engaged with the local communities. This included outreach activities at schools in Lifuka, which were well-received by the students, teachers and principals,” LTCOL Wineera said.

“The installation of the water storage facilities complements New Zealand’s broader development assistance to vulnerable communities across Tonga. It will go some way to increase the resilience of Ha’apai communities during seasons that are drier than normal or extend to periods of drought,” New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga Sarah Walsh said.

Major General (MAJGEN) Tim Gall, the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, said activities undertaken as part of Tropic Twilight demonstrated New Zealand’s continuing commitment in the Pacific and marked a fresh opportunity to strengthen defence cooperation with Tonga and other international partners.

“Tropic Twilight started years ago as a military exercise to get our personnel ready to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. But it has since evolved into a major multinational activity and the projects we have been undertaking in recent years are making a positive and tangible difference to communities in the Pacific,” MAJGEN Gall said.

Tropic Twilight is a recurring humanitarian activity focused on disaster relief operations that was conducted this year in Tonga from 7 July. New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade funded the projects that were delivered as part of the New Zealand Aid Programme.

Health Ministry seeks legal advice after baby infected with MRSA is taken from hospital

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga’s Ministry of Health has sought legal advice after a baby infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) was taken from hospital by his parents.

The baby was supposed to be admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward, but his parents took him home instead.

Kaniva News has been unable to confirm claims that the parents wanted to treat the child with traditional Tongan medicine.

The Ministry sent a public health nurse to the family’s home to advise the parents about the consequences the baby could face if he was not returned to hospital for medical treatment.

Health Ministry CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said in cases like this patients left hospital because of a “lack of clear communication.”

The parents had not returned the baby to the hospital at the time we contacted with Dr ‘Akau’ola.

Dr ‘Akau’ola said the Ministry kept sending medication with the nurse to the residence to make sure the baby was treated with the right medical treatment. They kept urging the parents to return the baby to hospital.

Dr ‘Akau’ola said the advice from their lawyer was that the Ministry could return the baby to the hospital under domestic violence and negligence law.

This means Police would have to obtain a warrant from the court so they could take the baby away from the parents and take him to hospital.

However, the Ministry had not done this.

The case came after a 12-year-old boy from Vava’u died on June 30 because he was infected by the MRSA.

The boy died despite being diagnosed by doctors at the hospital. The boy’s family also gave him Tongan medication.

What is MRSA? 

According to Health E New Zealand, MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. The term is used to describe a number of strains of the bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, that are resistant to a number of antibiotics, including methicillin.

What is staphylococcus aureas?

Staphylococcus aureus is a group of bacteria that live on the surface of people’s skin and inside the nose. It is normally harmless: most people who are carrying it are totally unaware that they have it.

This group of bacteria can be spread quite easily from person to person through contact.

Problems occur if Staphyloccocus aureus bacteria are able to enter the body through a cut or wound.

How is MRSA treated?

Because MRSA is resistant to a number of different antibiotics, it is harder to treat than nonresistant bacteria.

However, MRSA is not resistant to every antibiotic and most strains of MRSA can still be treated with vancomycin, teicoplanin and mupirocin.

For people with weakened immune systems who have become infected with MRSA, the best treatments are with the antibiotics vancomycin or teicoplanin. These two antibiotics are given as injections or through an intravenous drip and so are only given to people in hospital.

The main points

  • Tonga’s Ministry of Health has sought legal advice after a baby infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was taken from hospital by his parents.
  • The baby was supposed to be admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward, but his parents took him home instead.
  • Kaniva News has been unable to confirm claims that the parents wanted to treat the child with traditional Tongan medicine.
  • The Ministry sent a public health nurse to the family’s home to advise the parents about the consequences the baby could face if he was not returned to hospital for medical treatment.

For more information

Health authorities concerned after rare MRSA-related pneumonia kills boy (Kaniva News)

Ministry moves to stop what it says are lies on social media after boy’s MRSA death

Habitat for Humanity’s 100 Homes Campaign welcomed

By
Kaniva Staff
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I welcome Habitat for Humanity’s new “100 Homes Campaign”, which will offer life-saving, storm-resistant, affordable housing to families in the Pacific, said Jenny Salesa, MP for Manukau East, who launched the campaign today.

“Habitat for Humanity’s ‘100 homes Campaign’ aims to build 100 cyclone-resistant homes for families across the Pacific by the end of this year.

“Habitat is hoping to recruit 100 volunteers and raise $100,000 to build the homes in Samoa, Fiji and, for the first time ever, Tonga.

“I am hugely impressed by the work that Habitat has been doing across the Pacific, where the repeated destruction of homes by cyclones is a persistent problem that needs an effective solution.

“Habitat has a fantastic track record building cyclone-resilient homes in Fiji and Samoa. It is notable that 899 of the 900 Habitat houses in Fiji withstood the battering from Tropical Cyclone Winston

“Cyclone Winston highlighted for me that getting Habitat for Humanity into Tonga to provide affordable, cyclone-resistant homes to ordinary people there, was imperative

“Earlier this year, I was delighted to broker a meeting between the Tongan Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Siaosi Sivaleni, and New Zealand Habitat for Humanity head Claire Szabo, which led to a signed agreement to start a building programme in Tonga.

“Habitat for Humanity homes are comparatively inexpensive, partly because families must contribute their labour to building their home and volunteers from New Zealand and elsewhere also help out.

“I congratulate Habitat for Humanity for this campaign and I strongly encourage everyone to donate money towards this vital project for housing in the Pacific and / or to join a volunteer team,” Jenny Salesa said.

Contact: Jenny Salesa 021 940 863

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