Dr David Coulter (79), his wife Anne (75) and daughter Ruth Grundy (51) travelled to Vanuatu, formerly called the New Hebrides, to join more than 200 people at the opening of the Medical Santo clinic last month. The clinic will serve more than half the population of Vanuatu.
Crucially, it will also help in the battle against diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and cancer - ''Western'' diseases that were new to Vanuatu and that had become prevalent and disastrous, Dr Coulter said.
These diseases were rare when the Coulter family moved to the New Hebrides in 1962. Dr and Mrs Coulter were employed by the Associated Churches of Christ (Australia), which ran a mission station at Duindui, where they lived until February 1973.
Dr Coulter treated just one case of diabetes, and no breast cancer or hypertension, in the 11 years he worked there. The prevalent health issues then had been malaria and tuberculosis. Dr Coulter's role also saw him manage the building and equipping of a 50-bed hospital which serviced the northern islands and a population of about 15,000. He arranged the training of nurse practitioners and support workers needed to staff the hospital and outlying dispensaries, as well as arranging for others to go overseas for further education.
He was presented with the Vanuatu National Medal of Merit for his services in 2001.
Dr Coulter said it was a great privilege to be asked to return to Vanuatu to open the new facility which could prove so important to the people of the region.
The response to the return visit was overwhelming, with many hugs and kisses, and gifts and grateful reminders of babies born and lives saved, he said.
Mrs Coulter worked on family health and wellbeing in the hill villages when they lived there. As well as checking on babies, she also talked to villagers about nutrition and even showed women how to sew.
''I was amazed during this visit to hear quite a list of things they had remembered I had taught them,'' Mrs Coulter said.
The Coulters were shocked to learn many of their friends had been lost to diabetes, stroke and heart attack.
Adopting a European lifestyle and foods meant many aged in their 50s, 60s and early 70s had succumbed to diseases which had been virtually unknown in the 1960s and '70s.
''Anecdotally, people were saying that about half of the population in this age group had been lost to these diseases,'' Dr Coulter said.
Today, access to medical services, especially in remote rural northern islands, was limited and existing facilities had become run-down through lack of funding.
The new medical clinic would support the Government-funded Northern Districts' Hospital, also based on Santo.
It is a Christian, not-for-profit medical aid organisation set up through a partnership between Churches of Christ, Queensland, Australia and Churches of Christ. Conference Vanuatu (CCCV).
CCCV president Stella Tabi said Medical Santo was ''very much needed''.
The clinic will be a general medical practice focusing on primary healthcare, including wound management, diabetes, hypertension, children's and women's health, and it will also provide emergency services. Initially, visiting medical, nursing and paramedical staff will run the clinic.
The clinic is advertising for health workers in all fields who may be willing to volunteer their services on a short- or long-term basis.
