Aishah Taleo is an Australia Awards Scholarships graduate with a passion to improve the accessibility of healthcare provisions within Vanuatu. It was her zeal for science and an opportunity to volunteer at Port Vila Central Hospital (PVCH) that fueled this ambition and saw her undertake a Bachelor of Pharmacy through the Australia Awards scholarship.
Aishah undertook her studies at Griffith University and graduated in 2021. She joins a handful of qualified pharmacy graduates within the country who are focused on ensuring the standard of healthcare continues to improve and can confidently service a growing population.
“I would like to see that compounding pharmacy has a place within Vanuatu so we are better able to provide personalised healthcare services specific to the individual” stated Aishah. A compounding pharmacy is a specific type of pharmacy able to customise medications that aren’t commercially available. This refers to medications that are not mass produced and available at a standard pharmacy. Aishah further explained that “many antibiotics are weight-based and it is an important consideration when prescribing medications to children.“
A delay in shipments caused by the onset of Covid- highlighted the need to facilitate the provision of medications in-country. Aishah joins a committed team of professionals as she completes a pharmacy intern position at PVCH, focused on ensuring her highly regarded qualifications are able to best serve within the context of Vanuatu.
Aishah highly regards her experience as an Australia Awards scholar for providing an invaluable skillset and capacity to work within Vanuatu’s healthcare system. Australia Awards Scholarships has assisted Aishah to contribute towards quality health care for Vanuatu whilst subsequently improving the economic growth and development of the nation.