DEAR EDITOR, Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) today, Wednesday, carried a bulletin that New Caledonia’s capital plans to introduce bacteria in a novel approach to combat mosquito-borne diseases.

The programme has been developed with Australia’s Monash University and entails releasing mosquitoes with the Wolbachia bacteria.

A statement issued by the authorities of Noumea says once the mosquitoes carry these bacteria they can no longer pass on dengue, chikungunya and Zika.

It says gradually the bacteria will spread to all the disease-carrying mosquitoes, hoping to eliminate the problem within about four years.

The method has reportedly been tested in five countries, with transmission rates plummeting.

Meanwhile, other help emanating from Australia, has seen the arrival in Gizo of a team of 8 Australian surgeons and one Solomon Islands surgeon and four anaesthetists who will screen patients at the Gizo Hospital and operate during a two week period (from January 16 to 27, 2017).

The service is free of charge and is a combined initiative of the Solomon Islands Ministry for Health and the not-for-profit organisation “Doctors Assisting in Solomon Islands” (DAISI).

Dr Rooney Jagilly – Medical Superintendent at National Referral Hospital and Ministry for Health Under Secretary, Dr Greg Jilini, have both been pivotal in planning and organising these visits.

This represents one of thirteen such visits by DAISI volunteers scheduled for next year involving over 50 volunteer doctors.

“It is advised that anyone with a surgical condition needing surgery should present themselves for assessment at Gizo hospital at 8am on Monday January 16, 2017.

Thanks are, once again, extended to all concerned for this medical assistance, especially to the ongoing help of medical doctors and specialist surgeons from Australia.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT