Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently I met with Harold Sharp OAM, a past district governor of Rotary in the Berowra area and chairman of the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children, to understand more about ROMAC's work. ROMAC commenced in March 1988 out of the actions of an Australian Rotarian who, with a group of surgeons, visited Labasa in Fiji. They discovered childhood mortality rates as high as 25 per cent, caused by the lack of medical and surgical facilities and skills. ROMAC, which is run entirely by volunteers, enlists assistance from medical experts, hospitals, nurses, physios, pathologists, radiologists, airline sponsors and other supporters. Today, ROMAC provides surgical treatment to around 50 children from Oceania every year.

Vincent, a two-month-old from the Solomons, required urgent surgery to correct a blockage between his oesophagus and his stomach. Mourine, a 14-year-old girl from a small island in the north of the Solomons—where they live a subsistence life, without electricity—had a massive growth on her neck and chest. Verzi, a 15-year-old girl from the Solomons, in 2015 had rheumatic fever which eventually meant she needed a valve in her heart replaced. ROMAC's work has brought hope to over 500 children like Vincent, Mourine and Verzi, from more than 20 developing countries. Rotary members from districts across Australia provide rostered support on a daily basis for over 10 months, taking the kids grocery shopping, showing them how to use Western appliances and accompanying them to medical appointments.

Thank you, Harold, for all the great work that you and ROMAC have done and continue to do to provide support and medical care to children in our Pacific family.