In May 2025, two nurses and a GP from the Solomon Islands travelled to Melbourne for an intensive three-week placement in diabetic foot care. The visit, hosted by Northern Health and La Trobe University, was part of a practical partnership to support early intervention and foot healthcare in a country where podiatrists are non-existent and amputations are all too common. Here’s what happened – and why it makes such a positive difference.
“I would rather attempt something great and fail than to do nothing at all and succeed.” – Robert H. Schuller
This quote appeared on the presentation slides that accompanied the end-of-trip debrief between Anniver Aitorea, a GP, and two nurses – Jay Rangitamaforau and Mevilyn Manetei – all from the Solomon Islands, alongside the teams at Northern Health and La Trobe University.
The stakes are alarmingly high in the Solomon Islands when it comes to diabetes prevention and management. In fact, 60 to 70 per cent of all beds in the surgical ward at the major hospital (National Referral Hospital) have people with diabetic foot wounds.
With foot conditions related to diabetes being managed by nurses and other healthcare workers, and equipment such as Dopplers being very thin on the ground, it is vital that nurses and GPs can learn from podiatrists and bring these skills into their own networks back home.
This thinking is what led Anniver, Jay and Mevilyn to visit Australia, ready to take their new knowledge back to the Solomon Islands and put it into practice with their teams.
Each participant had clear goals for their trip to Australia. Anniver focused on diabetic screening, wound classification, and dressing protocols as her main goals, whereas Jay and Mevilyn wanted to analyse referral pathways and learn more about wound management.
During their end-of-trip debrief, they shared how their clinical skills not only benefited, but so too, did their approach to patient communication.
Anniver said, “I’m more appreciative in counselling the patient with regards to their diet or meal plan. In the Solomon Islands, we just tell the patient, ‘Okay, you have to stop eating this and that’. Now it’s more about listening to the patient, which is what I’ll be taking back home with me and sharing with my colleagues.”
Their time in Australia included observing multidisciplinary foot teams in action, practicing debridement on simulated models (such as oranges) and learning how to do this without getting cut! They also used Doppler ultrasound, given these tools and techniques are largely absent in the Solomon Islands. Without routine access to vascular assessment or specialist wound care training, this visit offered valuable exposure.
With no practicing podiatrists in the Solomon Islands, diabetes foot complications are managed entirely by nurses and doctors without formal podiatric training. Surgical interventions can be delayed due to geographic, transport, and financial barriers.
The stakes are significant, which is why this collaborative partnership is so committed to working with health professionals from the Solomon Islands through opportunities such as this. Non-communicable diseases now account for 74 percent of deaths in the Solomon Islands, with diabetes ranking third among causes of mortality. Over 23 percent of adults aged between 18 to 69 have raised blood glucose, with many undiagnosed.
At the National Diabetes Centre in Honiara, more than 100 patients attend daily. With just two nurses and one doctor available twice weekly, resources are stretched beyond capacity.
The good news is that digital health is beginning to reshape care. A new module for diabetic foot surgery has been launched at the National Referral Hospital and across primary health clinics, supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This platform allows real-time tracking of surgical cases and patient journeys, which is critical for measuring outcomes and reducing duplicative processes. Head of Surgery Dr Rooney Jagilly reports that this tool is already improving clinical workflow and targeting quality improvement.
Since their return, the team has shared their learnings with their colleagues. They’re advocating for regular vascular screening, standardised wound documentation, and more training – all within the constraints of existing infrastructure.
As Mevilyn said, “We know what to do. Now we have to find a way to do it here.”
© Copyright 2021 The Australian Podiatry Association
