Western province health services run down

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

Participants attending the hearing and open forum held at Gizo.

WESTERN province health services is reportedly run down, which has brought about a more challenging task to bring medical activities to the people in the community level.

In a hearing and open forum held at Gizo recently, the Director for Provincial Health Services in Western province Mr Dickson Buara said Western province is running down.

He said now 14 health facilities are closed down as well as health activities are facing big challenges relating to health facilities, drug shortage and storage and service deliveries.

He shared the challenges with the Health and Medical Service Committee which Hon Charles Sigoto (Chairman), Hon Mathew Wale, Hon Alfred Ghiro, Hon Dickson Mua, Hon Lionel Alex and Hon Lanelle Tanangada.

He said out of 63 health facilities western province have, 14 have been closed down due to deterioration and land issues.

“Closure of health facilities is a huge problem. Currently we have 14 health services that are closed down with few are deteriorated very badly and some relate to land issue,” Mr Dickson said.

Beside that Mr Dickson said one main challenge they face is referral of patients to the National Referral Hospital for further management.

He said such has incurred health services huge money as in 2015 around 1.3 million, 2016 1.5 million and last year 1.1 million— despite it is going down there is no money, the need is still there.

With that he also adds water and sanitation is also one challenge for delivering health services at provincial level.

He said, “Common issue Gizo hospital facing is availability of clean water.”

“Gizo hospital and town don’t have reliable water supply—health services and people mostly catches or rely on rain water,” he said.

Meanwhile, the health services for Western province totalled with 63 health facilities with two hospitals, six area health centres, 22 rural area health centre and 33 posted nurses.

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