Prof Jeremy Oats
Prof Jeremy Oats synopsis for Rotary Club of Carlton presentation
Timor Leste continues to be one of the most impoverished countries in our region with high mortality and morbidity rates associated with childbirth for both mother and child.
Concerned by these reports, in 2010 District 9800 Foundation commissioned a fact-finding tour to explore ways in which to potentially assist in addressing this situation. One obvious area to address was the lack of ongoing refresher training in how to deal with the major causes of poor outcomes e.g. haemorrhage, infection, obstructed labour, neonatal resuscitation, especially for maternity care providers in the districts outside Dili. We therefore developed a programme to provide an intensive 2-day refresher and upskilling course in the Districts of TL outside Dili. Funding was approved by Rotary Internal and District 9800 Foundations and was again refunded in 2016.
After some challenges gaining Ministry of Health approval in Dili, the first course was held in Baucau in 2011 and since then we have run 36 sessions for almost 500 midwives and doctors primarily in the Eastern Districts but also in the some of the Western Districts.
Prof Jeremy Oats
- Graduate of University of Adelaide (MBBS) and Nottingham University (DM). Specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Nottingham UK.
- Came to Melbourne in 1978 to Mercy Maternity Hospital as Associate Professor Obstetrics and Gynaecology Melbourne
- 5 year stint in Brisbane as Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Mater Mother’s Hospital, Brisbane and Professor Obstetrics and Gynaecology Queensland.
- Returned to Melbourne in 2001 to be Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Royal Women’s Hospital
Currently Professorial Fellow Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne
Senior Medical Advisor Safercare Victoria
Recently
Medical Co-Director of Integrated Maternity Services Northern Territory.
Chair Victorian Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity
Rotary:
Member of Rotary Club of Melbourne from 1991 to 1996 and then rejoined 2002. Vice President 2007-8
Team Leader of the VTT Timor Leste Emergency Obstetric Refresher Training Programme since 2011, funded jointly by District 9800 Foundation and RI Foundation.
Granted Paul Harris Fellow by District 9800.