BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
THE Director of Western Province Health Services has raised concerns over the condition of the Gizo medical storage facility, describing it as an incomplete project that urgently requires improvement to safeguard the province’s medicine supply.
Speaking to Island Sun, Dr Dickson Boara said part of the facility’s roofing has been torn off, exposing essential medicines to direct sunlight and rain, posing a serious risk to the quality and effectiveness of medical supplies.
He said the issue needs immediate attention as Gizo Hospital relies heavily on medicines stored at the facility to provide treatment for patients across the province.
According to Boara, the facility is already failing to serve the purpose for which it was built.
“First, I would say that this is a failed project. Secondly, the location where the facility was built is exposed to the elements. Some of the steel components have already rusted because the building is located close to the shoreline,” he said.
Boara warns that the deteriorating condition of the storage facility can have serious implications for healthcare delivery, with thousands of patients depending on medicines stored there for treatment.
He said the facility requires not only urgent repairs but should also be relocated to a safer site that is less vulnerable to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change.
Boara said reliable health infrastructure is essential to ensure consistent medical services and improve patient care throughout Western Province.
“Our health facilities play a crucial role in ensuring quality healthcare services are delivered and lives are saved,” he said.
Boara calls on the national government and development partners to support efforts to rehabilitate or relocate the medical storage facility before the situation worsens.
He said investing in resilient health infrastructure is critical to protect essential medical supplies and strengthen healthcare services for the people of Western Province.
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