OSSAA is a not-for-profit non-government organisation based in South Australia. Our mission is to provide surgical and reconstructive rehabilitation services to children and disadvantaged people in our region, particularly those living in East Timor and Eastern Indonesia. We also aim to provide local training and capacity building in surgical and hospital services to help create a more independent and sustainable health system in the longer term.
Our Australian voluntary surgical teams typically consist of a surgeon, anaesthetist, support nursing staff, allied health staff and an interpreter.
Surgical areas in which we provide aid include:
- Reconstructive surgery
- Ear, Nose and Throat surgery
- Orthopaedic surgery
- General surgery
OSSAA provides major surgery to people who suffer from burns, cleft palates, congenital defects, leprosy, cysts, tumours, trauma and other diseases. We also provide capacity-building for local doctors and staff to assist in creating sustainable change and improved healthcare systems which will continue to support the local communities.
Our patients often live in the poorest regions of their countries, with very limited access to healthcare, especially surgical services. Most travel long distances for review and surgery.
From 2002 to 2024 there have been 118 surgical team visits, 12729 medical consultations and 5648 life changing/saving operations. Many of our visits have focused on Dili and Baucau in Timor Leste, and Cancar and Halilulik of NTT in eastern Indonesia. This has built long term friendships and trust, achieved more effective training and capacity building, and enabled timely follow-up of cases requiring additional surgery.
Other team visit locales have included
- Maliana and Oecussi in Timor Leste,
- Kefamenanu, Naob, Ruteng, Soe, Waigapu, plus Jayapura and Timika in Indonesia,
- Tonga
OSSAA and local medical teams work closely together to enhance their skills and develop local medical and health resources. We also help supplement local medical equipment and supplies.
Other achievements include establishment of a physiotherapy training program in Timor Leste and a regional patient referral network.
Our services are delivered in cooperation with local hospitals, local and national government health authorities and aid agencies.
A bare minimum of our budget is spent on administration and all fundraising activities are undertaken on a voluntary basis. We are a transparent organisation focussed on the delivery of high standard and cost efficient care to those most in need.
We estimate the average cost of each major surgical procedure to be a little more than $300. This ensures that those who donate and support OSSAA know they are having a very direct positive impact on people's lives and that their donations are being used carefully and efficiently.
OSSAA has been granted tax deductibility status by the Australian Federal Government.
Dr Andrew Wallace
Connie Granozio
Mark Moore AM
Stephen Baker
Donna Fitzgerald
Joy Booth, Mary Martinaitis, Patrick Markwick-Smith, Vanessa Dittmar, Zameer Gill
If you would like to become an Individual or Corporate Member, please submit an enquiry here.
Even a small donation will help deliver a significantly positive impact in some of the poorest communities of our closest neighbours.
