BY JARED KOLI
CHAIR of the Parliamentary Health and Medical Services Committee, Charles Sigoto is being asked to push the nine-year-old Report on Quality of Medical Services provided at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) through parliament.
Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII) and Young Women Parliamentary Group (YWPG) called on Mr Sigoto, on Friday last week, to push the report to the floor of parliament.
“Since the report was released, not even a Member of Parliament (MP) stood up to champion the document to parliament, and we want Mr Sigoto as Chair to move the report to the floor of parliament,” said FSII Chair, Mr Wilfred Luiramo.
“The Chair has agreed with us to have the report to be tabled in parliament, in parallel with the hospital petition calling on Prime Minister to call for a Commission of Enquiry (COE) into service provided at NRH.”
Sigoto could not be reached when Island Sun called over the weekend, however, Luiramo said there is “green light” shown.
FSII and YWPG believes that the recommendations set in the report were not fully implemented, although some recommendations were addressed.
The unprecedented move also resulted in the two civil society groups calling on legislatures to seriously consider bringing in life-saving machines, similar to the once used in St Vincent Hospital in Sydney, Australia.
“FSII and YWPG want the government to improve services, at least bring in life-saving machines, this is because there was no such recommendation in that report. We want the government to put this as top priority,” Luiramo adds.
He said Sigoto fully agrees and assured them to move a motion in parliament soon.
Island Sun understands that the hospital petition is still ongoing, initiated by NRH patient and local good governance advocator Ishmael Nori.
The petition has been receiving signatories from most patients at NRH and also supporters from the public who believe in this cause.
The partnership move is geared towards accessing quality medical services at the NRH, similar to services accessed by Ministers or Members of Parliament (MPs) at St Vincent Hospital.
