VHA Patrols - bringing health services to 'no-dose' communities.

The Village Health Attendant (VHA) Patrols Project, delivered with Australian Doctors International through the PNG–Australia Partnership, was a one-year effort supporting the Northern Provincial Health Authority to strengthen healthcare in some of Oro Province’s most remote communities.

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Health teams travelled by plane, helicopter, 4WD, horseback, and on foot to reach villages with little or no access to care. Many were ‘no-dose’ communities - where children had never received a single immunisation.

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The teams delivered vital services: vaccines, maternal and child healthcare, family planning, and support for gender equality and disability inclusion. Just as importantly, they worked alongside local health workers to build skills and strengthen systems - so the impact would continue long after the patrols had moved on.

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For many communities, these visits weren’t just welcome - they were lifesaving.