ABOUT US
ADI works in partnership with Provincial Health Authorities in Papua New Guinea to support access to health services for rural and remote communities.
VISION
A healthier rural Papua New Guinea.
MISSION
ADI is committed to working with partners to provide and strengthen services in rural and remote communities of PNG. ADI strives for sustainable healthcare solutions, ensuring every individual, regardless of location, has access to quality healthcare and a healthy future.
VALUES
We keep our promises.
We embrace local voices.
We champion justice and equality.
We respect the natural environment.
We inspire innovation.
HISTORY
ADI was founded in the year 2000 by former MP and general practitioner Dr Peter Macdonald, with hopes of supporting rural health services in Papua New Guinea (PNG). In 2002, Dr. Macdonald’s vision sprang into action when ADI deployed its first volunteer doctors in partnership with the Catholic Diocese of Daru-Kiunga in the North Fly region of Western Province.
Australian health professionals volunteering with ADI assisted in the delivery of primary health services to rural and remote communities, as well as clinical services for West Papuan Refugees.
Founding board member, George McLelland kick-started a Malaria bed-net project in response to Malaria problems and high rates of mosquito born Filariasis in the Western Province.
ADI volunteer doctors working in with Catholic Health Services provides education for health workers and clinical services for thousands of remote community members.
A Mass Drug Administration project with NDoH, the PNG armed forces and CHS commences to combat filariasis problem in Mougulu and larger endemic in PNG. ADI’s Malaria project expands to communities of Nomad and Mougulu with the delivery of 6500 bed nets.
The village of Mogulu reported a 50% drop in malaria cases after efforts by ADI and Catholic Health Services to deliver bed nets to the community. Across the communities where the project was implemented, zero deaths were recorded in the two year period.
At the invitation of Sir Julius Chan, ADI entered into an agreement with New Ireland Provincial Government to bring volunteer doctors to the province to support rural outreach services. Along with service delivery ADI began dedicating more resources to capacity building of rural health care workers through case based learning and training in family planning and emergency obstetrics.
ADI pivots to social awareness campaigns, starting a program to promote gender equity with a focus on women’s health and empowerment.
With domestic violence and gender inequality being significant drivers in a woman’s ability to make decisions about their own health and wellbeing, ADI began implementing a program to engage with community leaders around gender equity and women’s health.
ADI began working in West New Britain a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic exploded. Volunteer doctors had to be brought back to Australia. The prolonged closure of borders brought opportunities to innovate and pivot. We began relying more on local staff in PNG to deliver programs and pivoted teaching programs to blended remote learning models. We delivered tens of thousands of items of PPE and provided training in donning and doffing. Our small and agile team responded to the needs of our co-delivery partners as much as possible throughout the early stages of the pandemic.