BY SAMIE WAIKORI
MALAITA provincial health has recently shared some of the challenging setbacks they have been struggling with in the health sector.
The challenges cover almost all aspects of health in the province including human resources, health infrastructure like; clinics, staff house, sanitation, water, electricity and etc.
Speaking during a recent health workshop in Auki, Director of Malaita provincial health, Dr David Danitofea provided data on the current health status of the province.
He said the province has a total of 85 health facilities, two hospitals and three area health centres (AHCs).
Danitofea however said 54 percent of them are administered only by a registered nurse, 32 percent administered by more than one registered nurse while 12 percent have no nurse.
He said out of these health facilities; 55 percent have never been renovated in the past five years while 41 percent were renovated.
Danitofea said in terms of sanitation; 61 percent have toilets which include flush and open pits while 39 percent have no toilets.
He added, for staff houses, 75 percent of health facilities have staff houses, but not renovated in the past five years and 17 percent have no staff houses.
Danitofea said out of these staff houses, 43 percent have sanitation whilst 57 have no sanitation.
He said in terms of waste disposal, 94 percent of health facilities in the province have no incinerator. That means wastes are dispose by open burning.
Danitofea said these are some of the setbacks the provincial health is currently face and it needs to address to ensure quality health is provided to people.
He said majority of the population of Malaita is in rural areas and when face with these challenges it is indeed a setback for the provincial health.
