LOLOMA ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In November of 2023, we were informed that the Waiyevo Hospital in Taveuni, our home for the past 15 years, was awarded an AUSAID grant for total renovation beginning April of 2024. You can imagine our surprise! We had to make a decision as to what the 2024 year would look like….should we cancel everything or should we find alternative arrangements and carry on? Inasmuch as we had already raised funding and most of our teams were already committed, we decided to carry on, moving all essential consumables and equipment to the Savusavu Hospital on Vanua Levu, the second largest island in Fiji. A monumental but not impossible task, to say the least.

Here is what transpired:

Planning

In January a 40ft container was purchased, filled with supplies and shipped from Los Angeles to Savusavu, Fiji.
February 15-28 team leader Linda Kwasny traveled to Savusavu to validate the viability of doing our 2024 surgical missions at Savusavu Hospital.
February 21-25 OR supervisor Val Trotter traveled to Savusavu and she and Linda Kwasny traveled to Taveuni to pack supplies and equipment needed for surgical rotations.
Linda returned to Savusavu and worked to secure housing for the surgical Teams.
February 15-21 Medical Director Dr. Jan Palmer and volunteer Shannon Brisco are in several locations in Fiji screening potential patients for surgery rotations.

FIJI 2024

40’ container landed, shipped to Savusavu placed at hospital, electrified and climatized.
Supplies shipped from Taveuni to Vanua Levu for surgical missions.
50 International volunteers from United States, Canada, Australia, Fiji and the Solomon Islands
4 surgical rotations
- General
- OB/GYN
- ENT
- Hand/Plastics
58 major specialized surgeries
33 minor surgeries
548 medical patients treated in the field
406 readers/sunglasses dispensed
46 full dentures built/delivered in the field
24 partial dentures built/delivered in the field
421 dental procedures including exams, extractions, fillings, varnishes, etc.
71 PAPS
508 Days for Girls kits dispensed

Solomon Islands 2024

In September 20 International medical and dental volunteers will spend 10 Days aboard Bilikiki, 8 Village Clinics in the Russell and Florida Islands

Gratitude for:
• Our US donors
• Our intrepid volunteers who used their vacation time and paid to
join our teams and selflessly worked long hours.
• Direct Relief International for 22 years of donations in kind,
totaling over 20 million dollars.

• Bilikiki Cruises for partnering with Loloma

Without each of you, we wouldn’t exist.

2022 ACCOMPLISMENTS

Ramping up after travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 were lifted in Fiji we resumed our medical, dental and prosthodontia outreach missions in the southern portion of Taveuni Island. Unfortunately, the Solomon Islands remained closed to international travel.

Purchased a 40 ft. container
Container filled with medical, dental and surgical supplies shipped from the U.S. to Taveuni, Fiji
Our existing supplies in Fiji were, sorted, inventoried and organized. Out of date medications and supplies were purged.
Restocked our pharmacy with anesthesia, medical and dental supplies for our 2022-23 missions.
Expanded our physical facility at Waiyevo Hospital where our 2022 container was sited and integrated as part of our now 3 container complex. All were power washed, cleaned and received a fresh coat of paint.
The “Taj” (our in-country administrative center) and pharmacy were thoroughly cleaned and Climate control units serviced.

Team of 36 volunteers from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Fiji spent six days in residence at Paradise Taveuni and accomplished the following:

Medical Team- conducted clinics at Qarawalu, Vuna Health Center, Navakawau, Vuna Village, Dejaivuna, and South Taveuni Primary School.
- General Medical-554 patients
- Pediatrics-126 patients
- Readers distributed-302
Woman’s Health who also worked at each village clinic.
- Pap Smears-123
- Exams-128
- “Days for Girls” distribution and education sessions-636
Dental Team- Conducted dental clinics six days based at Paradise Taveuni Resort.
- Patients-248
- Fillings- 251
- Extractions-203
Prosthodontia Team- The creation of dentures is an intensive, time-consuming process. It is estimated that a minimum of 10 man hours is required to complete each unit. Additionally, the process traditionally is spread over a 6-8 month period. Loloma’s team accomplished this in 4-5 days. The team created well over 1800 new teeth during the 2022 Paradise mission.
- Full Dentures-43
- Partial Dentures-9
- Other Appliances-2

2021 ACCOMOPLISHMENTS

Because Fiji and the Solomon Islands has been in lockdown and closed to all outside travel we were unable to continue with our surgical, prosthodontia and dental missions, however, there was still much to do:

• 40 ft. container shipped containing medical/dental supplies to Taveuni Hospital
• Donated all of the medical, dental and Anesthetic supplies in Loloma’s pharmacy to CWM and Labasa Hospitals

Special Projects:

• Facilated emergency relief efforts in conjunction with our Fijian partners for victims of Tropical Cyclone Yasa, a CAT 5 cyclone. Families in Bua and Kubulau including Namalata Village, Kiobo Village, Waisa Village, Natokalau Village, Nasasaivua Village and Navatu Village received basic aid in the form of food and about 100 tarps from Loloma Foundation team. 15 large tents and medicines from the US by a generous donations from Barebones Living and Direct Relief International.

To be accomplished in 2022:

Prosthodontic lab constructed at Taveuni Hospital supported by UCLA and Creighton University Schools of Dentistry
145 volunteers will participate in 7 medical/dental and surgical missions (assuming lockdown ends)
40’ container filled with medical, dental and surgical supplies will be shipped from the U.S. to Taveuni
Restock our pharmacy with anesthesia, medical and dental supplies for our 2022 missions—anticipated cost is
$50,000
Purchase of a 40 ft. container—anticipated cost is $5,000

2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 40 ft. container shipped containing medical/dental supplies
• 23 volunteers Navutu Stars, Yasawa Islands—26 Jan-3 February, 2020
• Because Fiji is on lockdown, we were not able to return with our surgical teams
• Treated 1,153 patients at rural health clinics in the Yasawas
• Treated 251dental patients (fillings, extractions and restorations)
• 40 dental prosthetic appliances and 7 obturators (cleft pallet prosthetic) were fitted in the field • 325 extractions and 141 varnishes and SDF
• Optometric teams treated and dispensed readers, glasses and sunglasses to 243 patients

Special Projects:

Women’s Health Fiji: 134 Pap smears, 162 “Days for Girls” sanitary pad kits and education sessions
Butterfly portable ultrasound scanning equipment purchased and into service for Loloma medical teams
Prosthodontic lab designed and planned for Taveuni Hospital
Due to Covid, Dr. Richard Seidman (Taveuni resident) inventoried our pharmacy stock and donated all pharmaceuticals and anesthesia meds to CWM and other hospitals. Value of donated stock is in excess of $100K

2019 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

FIJI 2019

148 volunteers, 2 outreach missions, 5 surgical rotations, and a stunning roof constructed.
• 87 major specialized surgeries
• 148 minor surgeries
• 146 PAPS
• 285 readers dispensed
• 1756 patients treated in the field
• 39 dentures built/delivered in the field
• 213 Days For Girls kits dispensed
• 458 dental procedures
• Glass mosaic mirror installed at Matei airport.
• 285 readers dispensed

Solomon Islands 2019

20 International Volunteers, 10 Days aboard Bilikiki, 8 Village Clinics in the Russell and Florida Islands
• 2,657 Patient Contacts
• 140 PAPS
• 520 Eye Patients
• 173 Dental Patients

Gratitude for:
• Our US donors
• International women’s assn, Suva. Who funded all surgical patient
Transport.
• Our intrepid volunteers who used their vacation time and paid to
join our teams and selflessly worked long hours.
• Direct Relief International for 19 years of donations in kind,
totaling over 20 million $$.

• Bilikiki Cruises for partnering with Loloma

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Navutu Stars Mission:

• Dental: Prosthetics 20 partials and 19 full completed and delivered to patients in the field, 645 varnishes, 143 restorations, 291 extractions

• Medical: 1,066 patients treated, 70 PAP smears, 236 “Days for Girls” education and kits, 30 surgical referrals to Loloma Taveuni Hospital missions

Matangi Island Mission:

• Dental: 269 patients treated, 132 extractions, 129 restorations and 290 varnishes

• Medical: at 7 different island clinics, 539 patients treated, 48 PAP smears, 246 “Days for Girls” education and kits

• Optometric: 392 patients treated, 360 readers and sunglasses dispensed, 35 referrals for Cataract surgery

• Minor Surgery: 128 –circumcisions, lumps and bumps, debridements

Taveuni Hospital:

• ENT: 16 major and 9 minor surgeries

• Hand reconstruction: 13 major surgeries

• Reconstructive surgery: 25 major surgeries

• OB/GYN surgery: 24 major and 8 minor surgeries

• General surgery: 27 major surgeries

Solomon Islands Bilikiki trip

• Medical: 2393 patients seen in 5 clinics, 397 “Days for Girls” education and kits,

• Optometric: 561

• Dental: 207 patients seen, 132 extractions, 78 restorations, 204 varnishes

Renovations

Two separate teams transformed the 40 foot container into a permanent Break room for our medical and surgical teams in Taveuni. It has a kitchen, bathroom and is climatized. Shelving and lighting was added to the existing 40 ft. container.