The U.S. Embassy in Honiara, through its Speakers Program, has supported a train-the-trainer “Stop the Bleed” initiative at the National Referral Hospital (NRH).
The training was led by U.S. physician Dr. Eileen Natuzzi, MD, as part of her long-standing philanthropic contributions to Solomon Islands’ medical community.
Following the initial session, Dr. Rooney Jagilly, NRH’s Head of General Surgery, conducted a training for employees of the NGO HALO Trust, which has partnered with the U.S. Embassy since 2011 to identify and catalog unexploded ordnance across Solomon Islands.
Dr. Natuzzi has visited Solomon Islands regularly for more than 20 years, working closely with NRH’s Endoscopy Department to help increase capacity among physicians and nursing staff.
The “Stop the Bleed” program, launched by the American College of Surgeons in response to a call from the White House, equips ordinary individuals with lifesaving skills to control severe bleeding and act as immediate responders during emergencies. To date, over five million people worldwide have been trained under the program.
While the program is often used to respond to gunfire, stabbings, or traffic accidents in other countries, in Solomon Islands it has practical application for emergencies caused by crocodile attacks, bush accidents, and other trauma-related injuries.
Using the official “Stop the Bleed” training kit, Dr. Natuzzi demonstrated three simple, effective techniques to stop life-threatening bleeding:
- Applying a tourniquet
- Wound packing with gauze
- Direct pressure with compression tape
The American College of Surgeons notes that bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death after injury, and the program has been officially adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense for its proven effectiveness.
NRH staff who completed the training are now equipped to extend “Stop the Bleed” to schools, churches, workplaces, and community-based organizations across Solomon Islands.
Interested groups wishing to host training sessions are encouraged to contact Dr. Rooney Jagilly at [email protected].
