BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
DIRECTOR of Western Province Health and Medical Services, Dr Dickson Boara, has called for more medical specialists to be stationed in provincial hospitals to reduce the financial burden associated with patient referrals to Honiara.
Speaking during the Western Province Health Summit, Boara said the lack of specialist services at provincial hospitals continues to place significant pressure on both the health system and patients’ families.
He explained that many patients from Western Province are referred to Honiara for treatment that could otherwise be provided locally if specialist doctors were available in Gizo.
“We need specialists to be posted in Gizo to provide the same services that can be accessed in Honiara,” Boara said.
He said the absence of specialists’ forces Gizo Hospital to refer patients to Honiara, which is costly for the hospital as well as the patients’ families.”
Boara said the referral process often places an additional burden on rural families who must first travel long distances from their communities to Gizo before making the journey to Honiara for further treatment.
He also said that decentralising specialist health services will greatly improve healthcare delivery in the provinces by enabling more patients to receive treatment closer to home.
“Services can be improved if more specialists are posted to rural hospitals so that treatment can be done at the provincial level rather than requiring patients to travel to Honiara,” Boara said.
He acknowledged that several medical specialists have been deployed to Gizo Hospital over the years and said their contributions have been invaluable in improving healthcare services for the people of Western Province.
Boara added, however, that maintaining a consistent presence of specialist doctors remains a key challenge that needs to be addressed.
He acknowledged the Australian Government for its continued support, particularly in assisting Gizo Hospital with the referral of critically ill patients to Honiara.
The call was made during discussions at the Western Province Health Summit, where health officials, government representatives and development partners gathered to discuss ways to strengthen healthcare services across the province.
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