Medical supplies will arrive in Tonga on September 15 in a container onboard a Royal New Zealand Navy dive hydrographic vessel, HMNZS Manawanui.

The ship will make a contactless port visit with the medical supplies donated by Auckland charity, Take My Hands.

No personnel will be allowed ashore as the ship’s crane will lift the container of medical supplies onto the wharf.

RNZN stated that the container for Vaiola Hospital includes medical trollies; paediatric cots, hospital beds, baby warmers, mattresses, a wheelchair, bed linen, scrubs and gloves, and a specialised stand for an ultra-sound machine. 

Manawanui, comes to Tonga after returning to New Zealand from Exercise RIMPAC near Hawaii.

Maritime Component Commander Commodore Mat Williams said that Navy ships and crew were regularly in the Pacific carrying out maritime surveillance patrols in cooperation with Pacific partners and other agencies. 

“We always look for opportunities to support our Pacific neighbours. In this case it’s been rewarding to work with the charity, Tongan authorities and other agencies, so that one of our ships can berth and deliver charitable medical supplies, which we hope will be of real benefit to people in Tonga.”

Auckland charity Take My Hands collects usable medical equipment and resources that are surplus supplies in New Zealand and redistributes them to organisations in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Take My Hands founder and trustee Janette Searle said this was the first time a Navy ship had assisted the charity.

She said they usually work with commercial companies with spare space and capacity, or utilise containers at a discounted rate, anything to keep the costs down.

Vaiola Hospital

“The equipment is going to Vaiola Hospital. The obstetrics department has an ultra-sound machine but needed a stand. The cots and baby warmers are for the paediatrics department. We’ve packed that container like Tetris, fitting in the scrubs, gloves and linen.”

To date, the charity has distributed more than 114 tonnes of equipment to nine countries.

A container usually stays with a ship, but Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, CEO for the Ministry of Health, said the hospital purchased this one to convert into a medical workshop.

“We are very pleased to receive this consignment from Take My Hands and we are grateful for the support from the New Zealand Navy.”

Lieutenant Commander Andy Mahoney, Manawanui’s Commanding Officer, said he was beyond pleased it all came together after becoming aware of the charity last year. 

He saw what they strived to support and couldn’t help thinking about the New Zealand Defence Force’s commitment to the Pacific and delivering on their South West Pacific campaign plan, with Manawanui’s planned deployment for Exercise RIMPAC.

In addition, he stayed in touch with the charity, resulting in the ship loading the 20-foot container before departing Devonport Naval Base at the end of July.

"This was the result of great interaction and engagement with the charity, Tongan authorities and Joint Forces New Zealand, which supports NZDF operations and overseas deployments.”

Manawanui carried the container throughout RIMPAC, the world’s largest international maritime exercise, where a lot of ships were photographed.

Meanwhile, this visit required diplomatic clearances from the Tongan Government and coordination with the New Zealand High Commission and local authorities to meet strict COVID-19 regulations.