ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ

Raising money for a healthy cause

Thursday, 27 July 2006

Medical students at the University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ are proving that their skills stretch beyond healing the sick.

Next weekend they will don their fund-raising hats to help build awareness of health needs in developing communities - both in Australia and abroad.

, the international health group of the , is hosting a Development Fund Dinner at the University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ's on Saturday 5 August. The dinner will raise money for medical students undertaking placements or projects in developing communities, with grants to fund aid consignments in those communities.

To date, Development Fund grants have helped fund aid to Sri Lanka, India, Ghana, Kenya, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.

Chair of Insight, sixth year medical student Sneha Parghi, says the two main aims of the organisation are to educate people about the health issues of developing communities, as well as providing hands-on help.

"As medical students we know that improving the health of developing countries requires a deeper understanding of the big picture. Social, economic and political factors all influence the health of a nation," Sneha says.

"We feel that this dinner is a great opportunity for the wider medical community - and local residents - to see the work that ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ medical students are doing for developing health."

Guest speaker on the night will be Dr David Mills, the medical superintendent of Enga Baptist Health Service in Kompiam, Papua New Guinea, and also an honorary lecturer of the University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ.

Dr Mills will discuss how Insight has helped the local community in Kompiam over the past two years, through monthly medical student placements from the University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ and the provision of regular aid consignments.

Tickets for the dinner are $80. To book, contact Ruth Lim on 0421 634 718.

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