He has been awarded this to pursue a Master’s Degree in Dermatology at the medical school of dermatology based at Twomey Hospital in Suva. He was one of the first scholars to study for a Diploma in Dermatology a few years ago. Since completing the Diploma, Dr Temea has been the head clinician for the Skin Clinic in Tarawa, Kiribati. Having the clinic operating as a skin clinic means that the stigma of visiting the “leprosy clinic” is reduced. Over 350 people visit the clinic each week, as well as leprosy patents. All those presenting with skin complaints are examined for leprosy. The impact of this is clearly seen in the figures with 55% of new cases being passively detected through skin consultation and referrals for skin issues, making the clinic a valuable tool in the fight against leprosy in Kiribati.

Whilst Dr Temea is away in Fiji to study, his position in the clinic has been taken over by Dr Taulanga Nanaseni. Dr Taulanga will be assisted in this role by our consultants who will visit frequently and have weekly zoom consultations with him.