Esther Apuahe
Born
Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
EducationUniversity of Papua New Guinea
Years active2002-present
Medical career
ProfessionSurgeon
FieldGeneral Surgery, Neurosurgery
InstitutionsTownsville Hospital, Port Moresby General Hospital
AwardsWestpac Outstanding Women

Esther Roibete Apuahe is a neurosurgeon from Morobe, Papua New Guinea, and the first female surgeon in the country.[1] She was born in 1978 in Rabaul and has four sisters.[2] Her father was a school teacher and instilled in Apuahe the importance of education.[2] She is married and has three children.[2] Esther Apuahe has contributed greatly to the field of neurosurgery, especially in the Africa-Asia region.[3]

Education

Grade School

Esther Apuahe attended grade school in Rabaul and Lae in Papua New Guinea, moving around with her family.[4] She was later selected as an AUSAID scholarship recipient to attend secondary school at Blackheath and Thornburgh College in Australia.[4]

Professional School

Apuahe attended the University of Papua New Guinea in 1998 and graduated in 2002 with a MBBS.[5] From 2008 to 2012, Apuahe earned a Master of Surgery at the University of Papua New Guinea, becoming the first woman to finish the program.[6] Starting in 2015, Apuahe worked on specializing in neurosurgery; she had training through the Royal Australian College.[6]

Career

Prior to her surgical career, Apuahe worked in an emergency department in Rabaul.[5] She also worked one year in pediatrics.[5] In 2007, Apuahe worked at Vanimo General Hospital as a general surgeon, prior to specializing.[7] In 2019, Apuahe was stationed in a one-year neurosurgery placement at Townsville Hospital as part of her training in neurosurgery.[5] In 2015, Apuahe became the neurosurgeon at Port Moresby General Hospital following the death of Papua New Guinea's first neurosurgeon, Dr. William Kaptigau.[7]

Contributions

Esther Apuahe received the Steamships Public Sector Award of the Westpac Outstanding Women, recognizing her journey and work in the field of neurosurgery.[8] Apuahe has contributed to various neuroscience journals on the progress of developing fields of neurosurgery in the Africa-Asia region.[3][7]

Impact on the Africa-Asia Region

As part of efforts to develop the field of neurosurgery throughout Africa and Asia, Esther Apuahe is part of the Africa-Asia Neurosurgery Collaborative Group (ASAFRIN), an initiative to address new and existing brain tumor programs, as there is an increased incidence of neurological cancers in the region.[3] The brain tumor program of Papua New Guinea has a level III out of five, due in part to Apuahe's work.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "PIH » Seeking the right to equality to every women of PNG this International Women's Day". www.pihpng.com. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
  2. 1 2 3 "Meet our first female neurosurgeon – The National". www.thenational.com.pg. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kedia, Shweta; Banson, Mabel; Cheserem, Beverly; Chaurasia, Bipin; Karekezi, Claire; Uche, Enoch; Apuahe, Esther; Balogun, James A.; Lucena, Lynne Lourdes N.; Mbaye, Maguette; Opara, Oluwamayowa; Mahmoud, M. Eisam Elhaj; Singh, Priya; Chemate, Sachin; Bora, Santanu Kumar (2023-07-01). "Brain Tumor Programs in Asia and Africa: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Perspectives". World Neurosurgery. 175: e1041–e1048. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2023.04.067. ISSN 1878-8750. PMID 37120142. S2CID 258400362.
  4. 1 2 "Dr Esther Apuahe – Women and Development". Women and Development. 2014-12-02. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Bradley, Julia (29 May 2019). "Esther proud to work on cutting edge". PressReader. Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  6. 1 2 Nangoi, Donald (2022-04-28). "Country's first woman neurosurgeon graduates". Post Courier. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  7. 1 2 3 Drummond, Katharine J.; Kim, Eliana E.; Apuahe, Esther; Darbar, Aneela; Kedia, Shweta; Kuo, Meng-Fai; Lewis, Elizabeth; Lucena, Lynne Lourdes N.; Maixner, Wirginia; Mo, Su Myat; Olson, Sarah; Phusoongnern, Woralux; Shrestha, Resha; Yan, Lin; Rosseau, Gail (April 2021). "Progress in neurosurgery: Contributions of women neurosurgeons in Asia and Australasia". Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. 86: 357–365. doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2021.02.002. PMID 33618964. S2CID 231966257.
  8. ↑ "Westpac announces winner of Steamships Public Sector Award" (PDF). TOK Steamies. October 2015. p. 1.
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