Photo caption: From back left to right: George Stilwell, A/Prof Debbie Munro, Julian Phillips, Isabel Andrade-Beltran (all staff)
Next row: Aden Sadler, Nick Dewhurst, Flynn Wilson, Rokhan Kalim, Seb Van Veen
Front row: Jiwoo Son, Milan Hildreth, Nuha Iskandar-Zulkarnain
A group of eight Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) biomedical engineering students, led by Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Debbie Munro, are heading to the island country to create sustainable biomedical solutions for Tongan hospitals. The mission is focused on developing a biomedical technician training programme that will equip local healthcare staff with skills to maintain essential medical equipment, ensuring the ongoing functionality of life-saving devices, such as ventilators, blood pressure monitors and oxygen concentrators.
Associate Professor Debbie Munro, an engineer and senior lecturer at UC, led a previous student trip to Tonga in 2019, but she has made some adaptations ahead of this second visit.
"Our first trip to Tonga taught us a lot about what is really needed. Initially, we were prepared to help in ways that didn't directly align with their greatest challenges. This time, we’re going with a refined plan focused on long-term sustainability and self-sufficiency for Tongan healthcare providers.”
When Associate Professor Munro first visited Tonga with her team, they anticipated providing direct equipment repairs. However, they quickly realised that Tonga’s primary need was for long-term maintenance and technical expertise.
During her July scoping trip, Associate Professor Munro reconnected with Tongan healthcare leaders, confirming that the need for trained biomedical technicians is as urgent as ever. “Almost 90% of their equipment is donated and often arrives in different languages, without manuals or consumables,” she says. “Right now, they have very few people with the biomedical expertise required to maintain these machines, which means even minor malfunctions can leave essential equipment unusable.”
In collaboration with the new Tonga National University (TNU), the UC team are working to establish a training programme to fill this critical gap. TNU, which incorporated the former nursing school and now offers technical and trade education, is eager to launch a biomedical technician course in partnership with UC.
“TNU has other well-established educational programmes that provide students with hands-on experience in areas like electronics, panel beating, and automotive repair. By adding biomedical training, we’re creating a pathway for local students to develop the specialised skills needed in healthcare settings,” Associate Professor Munro says.
One of the biggest issues Tonga faces is managing the influx of donated equipment, Associate Professor Munro says. “The last time I visited, I saw 18 shipping containers sitting unused because the hospitals lacked the resources to sort, assess, and distribute their contents. It’s well-intentioned aid that becomes a liability, with the hospitals paying monthly storage fees for items they can’t even use.”
The goal of the UC team’s mission is to empower local healthcare staff to independently evaluate and maintain equipment as it arrives, reducing dependence on external aid. “This time, we’re going with a training approach that equips Tongan technicians to handle the equipment autonomously, from maintenance to safety assessments,” Associate Professor Munro says. “Rather than just coming in to fix things temporarily, we’re investing in skills that will support Tonga for years to come,” she says. “We’re building something that empowers them to handle these challenges long after we’re gone.” Dr Munro says funding for the Tonga initiative will play a critical role in supporting both the programme’s immediate and long-term goals. “The funding will be used to cover various expenses, including travel, supplies, and equipment or tools—some of which we will be donating to the hospital in Tonga.”
However, the most pressing need remains financial support for the UC students, who are dedicating over 400 hours to this project. “Many students rely on summer internships to support themselves during the academic year, and previously each student received a Callaghan summer research grant. But this funding is no longer available due to post-Covid policy changes,” she added.
UC hopes to bridge this gap to ensure students are adequately supported, allowing them to focus on their work in Tonga. Any donations exceeding this year’s needs will be held to support future trips, as the team intends to make this mission an annual commitment to Tonga’s healthcare development.
