By Tupou Vaipulu Jr

A donation of disability equipment, including wheelchairs, was presented by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Vaiola Hospital in Tongatapu yesterday, 26 March 2025. The gift will help to replace the wheelchairs that have gone missing from the wards at the Hospital, where they are needed for disabled patients. It is the fourth such donation the church has made to the hospital.

The equipment included over 200 wheelchairs, over 100 crutches and walking canes. A total of 20 special transport wheelchairs that are designed for in-hospital use. These wheelchairs will be distributed among the wards at Vaiola and outer island hospitals, and they belong in the hospital.

The Chief Rehabilitation Officer, Siosaia Vakasiuola, said that there had been patients who have taken away wheelchairs without permission from the hospitals, after being discharged.

He said this has caused more problems for the hospital, and left them unable to fully cater the needs of their disabled patients.

He urged the public to not take the special transport wheelchairs from the hospital but instead to contact his department to provide one.

“If you need a wheelchair, please don’t take the transport wheelchairs, they are clearly labeled with the name of the ward they belong to – contact us at the Rehabilitation Department to provide you with one.”

Four 40ft containers of disability equipment have been donated by the LDS Church to the hospital, over the past eight years.

The first container arrived in 2017, followed by two more in 2019 and 2023.

Siosaia said that there are eight varieties of wheelchairs in the new donation, including transport wheelchairs, wheelchairs for children and, the elderly and recumbent hand-cycles.

Aside from transport wheelchairs, this equipment is distributed to people of disabilities in Tonga, according to their different needs.

The Rehabilitation Department also provides maintenance services for the equipment, using spare parts that comes with the donations.

The equipment will also be returned to the hospital after its use, to be re-serviced and given to another person with disability that is in need of it.

Elder Carroll and Sister Carroll are the new Welfare Services Missionary couple of the LDS Church in Tonga. They also represented the church at yesterday’s official handover of the equipment to the hospital

Sister Carroll said that they looked forward to the continuation of this project through the LDS Charities so that the people of Tonga may benefit from it.

The CEO of Health, Dr. Reynold ‘Ofanoa happily received the equipment and thanked the LDS Church for their continuous and generous support.

Equipment List

• Wheelchairs - 210
• Transport wheelchairs - 20
• Four-wheeled walkers - 40
• Walking frames - 20 units
• Underarm crutches - 80 pairs
• Forearm crutches - 60 pairs
• Walking canes - 100