BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
Health and education services across Western Province have been severely disrupted as Tropical Cyclone Maila left behind a trail of chao in communities.
Schools and clinics have been forced to close following widespread damage caused by the powerful system, raising concerns about access to essential services in affected areas.
Gizo Primary School has remained closed since last week as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students amid strong winds and hazardous conditions.
Rural health clinics have also been significantly affected, with reports confirming both partial and complete destruction of facilities.
Director of Western Province Health and Medical Services, Dickson Boara, said damage assessments from rural areas indicate serious impacts on health infrastructure.
“Clinic at Tubi lost its roofing. The clinic’s roof was blown away when the cyclone reached its peak earlier this week,” he said.
Boara said Ugele clinic was also destroyed after being inundated by seawater during the height of the cyclone.
Communication with health workers in remote communities has been a major challenge, with some nurses still unreachable due to damaged communication networks.
Boara has called on community leaders to support frontline health workers during this difficult time.
“These nurses are delivering services to all people of Western Province under very challenging conditions. Health is important and we must support them to ensure services continue,” he said.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation as efforts to restore services and assess further damage remain ongoing.
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