A specialist plastic and reconstructive surgery team from Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) is currently in Western Highlands Province conducting life-changing operations at Mt Hagen Provincial Specialist Hospital this week.

Led by Dr Jackson Nuli, Head Surgeon of the Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Unit at PMGH and Papua New Guinea’s counterpart for Interplast visits, the mission marks the team’s second visit to the province following last year’s outreach.

Dr Nuli is joined by surgeon Dr Mitchell Masin and anesthetist Dr Hilbert Tovirika, working alongside local clinical and support staff on the ground.

After screening 30 patients at the Consultation Clinic on Monday, the team has been performing six to seven operations daily. Surgeries are scheduled to conclude on Friday, though the team will extend its services into Saturday if required to meet patient demand.

Rather than cosmetic procedures, the operations focus strictly on essential reconstructive care. These include repairing cleft lips and palates in children, treating severe burn contractures, correcting congenital limb deformities, and managing complex, severe wounds.

The outreach builds on ongoing partnerships with Interplast Australia & New Zealand, a non-profit medical organisation that deploys volunteer plastic and reconstructive surgeons, anesthetists, and nurses across 17 Asia-Pacific nations to provide free surgical care and train local medical professionals.