Miss Olivia Galiano1,2, Mr Charles Wakinau1
1St John Ambulance, Papua New Guinea, , , 2St John Ambulance, Western Australia, , Australia
Biography:
Olivia is a paramedic from St John Ambulance Western Australia working with St John Ambulance Papua New Guinea as a Program Manager and Advisor. Her work focuses on systems strengthening, clinical governance, workforce development, ambulance service capacity building, and sorcery-related research as an MPhil candidate at the University of Newcastle.
Abstract:
Introduction: In Papua New Guinea (PNG), beliefs surrounding sorcery and witchcraft remain widespread in healthcare. Sorcery is understood as black magic that can cause sudden illness, death, or misfortune. Within St John Ambulance Papua New Guinea (SJAPNG), anecdotal reports indicate these beliefs influence ambulance response through delay of ambulance activation, discouragement of health-seeking behaviour, and reluctance for ambulance assessment and intervention. In some circumstances, accusations of sorcery can lead to violent retaliations against accused individuals, frequently women in events known as sorcery-accusation related violence (SARV), recognised by the World Health Organisation and United Nations as an urgent issue. Despite this, no healthcare communication strategy currently exists in PNG nor the Pacific to prevent accusations or escalation of SARV. The aim of this project is to develop a culturally responsive communication toolkit to support ambulance clinicians navigating sorcery accusations and violence.
Methods: A mixed-methods explanatory design is being implemented across PNG involving approximately 70 emergency healthcare personnel from SJAPNG and hospitals. Retrospective surveys and prospective logbooks document quantitative data on suspected sorcery accusations, violence during responses, and clinician capacity to respond. Semi-structured interviews explore experiences, communication challenges, risks, and traditional strategies related to sorcery beliefs.
Results: Findings will generate evidence-based assessment of prehospital prevalence in a setting where data is currently absent and inform development of an adaptable communication toolkit for ambulance personnel.
Conclusion: The research will strengthen patient care, enhance frontline worker safety, and contribute to efforts to prevent SARV across PNG and other Pacific contexts with similar belief systems.