6 November 2026 | Dakar, Senegal | The ONOC Medical Commission is running a shared medical and physiotherapy clinic for Oceania athletes and officials at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, giving teams from across the region access to care from practitioners who understand where they come from.

The clinic is staffed by Dr Kapua Kapua of Papua New Guinea and ONOC Medical Commission physiotherapist Matthew Natusch. Nearly every Oceania country at the Games has visited the clinic for treatment.

A shared setup

The clinic operates from office space in the National Olympic Committee building, shared with ONOC by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC). AOC Chef de Mission Kenny Wallace and his team also helped transport ONOC’s medications and physiotherapy supplies to Senegal with Team Australia.

The setup is simple and dedicated to medical and physiotherapy consultations and treatment.

A home away from home

For athletes and officials, the clinic is more than a treatment room. Dr Kapua describes it as a home away from home, the team’s fale āfolau, haus kibung, bure, domaneab or maneaba: a familiar, welcoming place far from the Pacific.

With cultural and language barriers to overcome, Oceania athletes and officials strongly prefer to seek care at the ONOC clinic rather than use local medical services.

“We’re trying to create a space that is not just about quality assessment and treatment but also family and community, where our athletes and officials can be in an environment aimed at maximising their potential and results,” said Natusch.

Lessons from the ground

Dr Kapua said the work on the ground calls for resourcefulness, adaptability and practical problem-solving. With one doctor and one physiotherapist covering the region’s athletes, the workload has at times been overwhelming, pointing to the need for additional personnel at future Games.

The medical team is also housed outside the Youth Olympic Village because accommodation was unavailable. Dr Kapua noted that optimal care requires the team to be close to athletes and officials and available around the clock.

“Oceanian peoples are resilient, resourceful, and natural problem solvers; it’s who we are, and helping each other in times of need is engraved in our DNA,” said Dr Kapua. “It is no secret that many Oceania countries cannot afford to send their own medical teams, so the ONOC Medical Commission, through Chairman Dr Chris Milne and leaders like CdM Kenny Wallace of the AOC, has recognised this need and stepped up to bring our own to treat our own far from home.”

ONOC Medical Commission Chair Dr Chris Milne said: “Support of our Oceania athletes is at the centre of all that we stand for. Special thanks to Matthew Natusch and Dr Kapua Kapua for travelling to Dakar for this mission with our young and emerging stars.”

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games run from 31 October to 13 November 2026 in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, the first Olympic event held in Africa.