Merelyn Aruke: celebrating one of many inspiring women

PETER  MACDONALD

YESTERDAY WAS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY and, as president of Australian Doctors International, I want to highlight our team member and eye nurse Merelyn Aruke, a positive and enthusiastic woman who works tirelessly on patrols, never turning away a single patient.

We applaud the positive impact being made by exceptional women just like her throughout Papua New Guinea, especially in the areas of health, legal justice and violence against women.

Merelyn grew up in New Ireland and is the mother of three children. ADI’s integrated rural health patrols have taken her to places she’s never been to before.

She is a registered nurse who completed a Certificate of Eye Care at Divine Word University with the support of the Fred Hollows Foundation.

 

Merelyn now works at Kavieng General Hospital and is in charge of all specialist clinics.

“I’m so enthusiastic,” says Merelyn. "Patrols give me the opportunity to bring eye services to needy rural areas and to let those who need surgery know that a volunteer Australian ophthalmologist visits Kavieng once a year."

Dedicated, bright and one of just three people in New Ireland with eye care qualifications, Merelyn is an essential patrol team member.  Last year at Panaras, Merelyn tended to 500 patients and at Mussau she saw 374.

Many patients waited outside in a heavy tropical downpour but didn’t let this deter them from the unique opportunity to get their eyes examined.

The main conditions seen on patrol are long-sightedness, cataracts and pterygiums ('Surfer's Eye').

Merelyn sells ready-made glasses for K20 -60 each, but since most villagers are subsistence farmers she often dips into her own pocket to ensure the most needy do not go without.

Dr Peter Macdonald OAM is president of Australian Doctors International and a former MP in the NSW parliament

Comments

[Neil Yamelu]

Merelyn has done something great. Let's all be like her. Think positive and act positive towards others who need help.Thanks Merelyn for your time and effort.

[Gabriel Kambe]

I would like to thank Merelyn for a job well done. I encourage professional Papua New Guineans in different fields to support and carry out projects like this with passion and provide quality services and basic needs to people in the rural areas of Papua New Guinea.

[Samuel Roth]

Merelyn deserves a medal.

Congratulations for the determination, courage and perserverance. God bless you, sister, in this very noble profession.

[Jeff Febi]

Merelyn Aruke - susa meri yu fit natin.

Merelyn. and I believe many others like her out there unknown to the limelight, are the ones that can trully help PNG.

Michael Dom's 'the hope that can only be offered by ordinary Papua New Guineans stretching out their hands to each other' is really touching. I agree brother!

[Timothy Poroda]

Merelyn, I believe she has caring behaviour for her society. PNG needs these types of public servant who serve the people with all their heart and not for the sake of just getting the pay for doing lousy work.

I commend her for the good work she has done. You know Merelyn it is complicated to patrol the remote areas especially where there is no road link.

[Michael Dom]

Well done Merelyn Aruke. Full credit to you in your efforts so far in assisting ADI in its humanitarian assistance to the most needy areas of our country. God bless you.

Merelyn's story is familiar to me and I'm sure many other Attituder's know character's like her; true Papua New Guinean heroes and heroines who give from what they have.

Thank you Peter Macdonald for helping Merelyn to shine on Attitude.

Stories like Merelyn's, Joe Yagama's and Jimmy Drekore's give us some hope for the future, the hope that can only be offered by ordinary Papua New Guineans stretching out their hands to each other.

Let us remember that.

[Jocabeth Yuasi]

I would like to thank Merelyn for the quality work she has done and is going to do.

She is married and has children but this is not a barrier for her or she does not use it as an excuse.

She is focused on helping people in the rural areas with a good heart. This shows clearly that she loves her job.

Most of the country's population live in rural areas. If there are more people like Merelyn who are working tirelessly without complaining and wanting something in return, to help the rural population, people's lives will be saved.

I think what she is doing is very much appreciated by her patients. I believe God will bless and protect her always.

[Joe Wasia]

Thumbs up to Merelyn. Keep up with the tireless efforts helping those in need. Hope you'll be blessed accordingly, one way or the other.

PNG needs more ladies like Merelyn who serves with a dedicated heart.

[Robert Jikavi]

PNG need such ladies like Merelyn who have the heart for those sick patients when they are really in need.

If there are plenty of nurses who have the same frame of mind as Merelyn, I think many patients who live in rural areas will be in a better condition.

Nowadays many people who live in rural areas have lost their lives because poor road conditions mean they have lacked good treatment.

It is good that Merelyn patrols around the remote areas to help patients.

I think such a woman will receive more blessings not directly but indirectly.

Thank you Merelyn, please keep up the good quality of your work to save people's lives in PNG.

[Rosemary Kaiye]

Such women like Merelyn are people with golden hearts and are rare to find in some communities today.

I truly believe in my heart that God will enrich you and also double your blessing because you have given and helped without expecting anything in return.

Like you, I one day wish to be helping people.

[Desmond Kuluwah]

Merelyn, you'll be my role model. What you have done inspired me a lot,

PNG needs such a citizen like you who gives and doesn't need something in return.

Wish all we Papua New Guineans would act the same way as Merelyn.