The Ministry of Health recently celebrated 30 years of working together with the St John of God Ballarat Hospital, a milestone for their Twinning Program, that has contributed a lot to the Health Ministry in Tonga.

Dr. Siale ‘Akauola presented the Ministry of Health gifts to representatives of the St John of God Ballarat Hospital on 19 May, at Vaiola Hospital, Tongatapu.

The visitors included Director of Mission Integration, Ms. Maureen Waddington; Tonga Twinning Program Coordinator, Mrs. Carolyn Mornane; and Nurse Unit Manager, Ms. Erika Ferguson Waddington,

The anniverasry of the 30 years of partnership was in 2022, but due to Covid-19, the Ministry and SJOG were not able to mark the event.

The relationship between the MoH Tonga and SJGH was established in 1992, which has mutually benefited over 140 staff as part of the exchange program to St John of God Ballarat Hospital and Tonga's Ministry of Health.

The Tonga Twinning program (TTP) benefits areas such as capacity building, education, mentoring and donated medical equipment, which is now extended to the outer islands.

Within the TTP, MoH staff members took parts in exchange visits to the SJOG hospital in Australia, and were exposed to one or more clinical areas that include, theatre, emergency medicine, midwifery, and more.