BY JARED KOLI
A brand new ambulance has been officially handed over to Wango and Aringana clinics in Arosi One, West Makira thanks to the West Makira Constituency Office for recognising the much-needed life saving land transport.
The constituency office handed over the keys of the new ambulance to the nurses and committee members of the two clinics on Friday July 16, witnessed by police officers, World Vision CVA Team, and people of the surrounding communities.
Member of Parliament for West Makira Constituency Derick Manu’ari told Island Sun that the ambulance costs $600,000, and was funded through the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF).
“The two clinics are situated close to each other, and the ambulance is purposely to provide easy access for emergency cases from these clinics to be taken to Kirakira Hospital,” Mr Manu’ari told Island Sun in an interview from his constituency over the weekend.
He said the ambulance is an original version equipped with inbuilt life saving devices ordered directly from the manufacturer.
He said sick patients from the Weathercoast side of Makira where there is no access to roads can be transported by boat to Arosi one, and the ambulance can pick them from there to Kirakira hospital.
“At the moment, it is difficult and very expensive by boat from Haununu and Arosi 2 in the weather coast side of Makira to Kirakira hospital, many sick patients have died along the way by boat.
“With the ambulance, boat can transport the sick patients to Arosi One and ambulance can pick them there to Kirakira where road is accessible.
“It can transport emergency cases from Arosi to Kirakira at any time,” said the West Makira MP.
Mr Manu’ari said this is part of their plan to improve health services in the constituency.
“This is part of our plan to improve health services in the constituency. It is also our vision to build a mini hospital at the Weathercoast side of constituency. But this is something that will require further consultations with relevant authorities.”
In the meantime, we are currently improving existing clinics and clinics that are not accessible to roads will soon be given Outboard Motors to boost their services to our people.”
The constituency office had also already purchased wheel chairs and is ready to dispatch them to clinics and people living with physical disabilities within the constituency,” Mr Manu’ari said.
