The effectiveness and sustainability of well-meaning but ad-hoc assistance organised by small institutions has come under scrutiny in new research. Flynn Murphy reports.

Australian nurses and medics are among the top three in the world for providing short-term aid and assistance in developing countries, yet new research has called into question the long-term effectiveness of these "medical missions". Along with the US and Canada, Australia provides the most overseas missions, which are typically a week or two in duration and generally provide specialist surgeries for cataracts and cleft lips, as well as basic care. The most popular destination for Australian healthcare workers is Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. However a new analysis of 230 accounts...