BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

TAKWA Clinic in North Malaita is reportedly low on drugs.

Patients say this has been experienced since late last year.

There is growing concern among surrounding communities, who complain that the only three drugs available in the clinic are paracetamol, septrin and amoxicillin.

They say most times, patients with malaria are sent home without treatment; or are sent home with the above mentioned tablets.

Authorities have only offered advice for people to take extra precaution while they work on a solution.

The situation is a grave concern to the people of Lau/Mbaelelea constituency, and are calling for support and an end to this.

Supervising Director of Nursing for Kilu’ufi Hospital, Mr Richard Maegerea when queried over the matter said the responsible authority for drug distribution is Malu’u clinic.

He adds there are drugs available for clinics around Malaita which include Takwa clinic.

Meagerea said, “Malu’u is the main storage of drugs for clinic in north Malaita, and anything to do about medicine distribution when shortage they are the responsible authority.

“Each clinic around Malaita province have its main health centre to feed clinics with drugs, and Kilu’ufi’s role is to ensure drugs are submitted in time to main health clinics.”

Island Sun could not reach Malu’u clinic for comments since the centre is without a landline telephone.

Takwa clinic is the only centre providing health service to Lau/Mbaelelea constituency as the Kwailabesi clinic has been closed.

Any serious case will reach Takwa first before referring to Malu’u or Kilu’ufi hospital.

BY CAROL-ANNE SULEGA

THE Solomon Islands Electoral Commission was never involved in consultations by the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC).

According to the report on the Provincial Government (Amendment) Bill 2017 (now an Act), the Committee invited officials of the SIEC to explain reasons for tragic lapse in administration as considered in the legislation.

“However the Committee was deceived into waiting three hours.

“No one turned up and so it was not possible to ascertain the reasons of the situation,” the report stated.

It further added that the Committee was extremely disappointed with the SIEC in this matter and the manner in which its invitation was treated with contempt.

It then called upon the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Public Service to immediately look into this matter and seek remedial action on the SIEC.

“Although official of the SIEC promised to make a late written submission, this too was never received by the Committee.

“The Electoral Commission must take this matter seriously.” The report stated.

BY BEN BILUA

THE Solomon Airlines had been running on a loss in 2016, audit report of the State Owned Enterprise (SOE) reveals.

The report highlights that Solomon Airlines has been operating on loss before tax, meaning that the company expects more losses if taxes are paid.

According to the report, Loss before tax income recorded in 2015 is 33,856,033 and 15,852,501 in 2016 while working capital deficiency (excluding revenue received in advance) was at 76,417,782 in 2015 and 65,574,319 in 2016.

It is stated in the report that the company has been facing lots of issues, and that contributes to the breakdown of its financial status.

The Auditor General Office found matters that nearly choke up the SOE in 2016 are as follows; inventory issues, withholding tax issues, untimely preparation and review of reconciliation, Cash at bank and reconciliations issues, lack of control of outer station travel agents, Revenue and receivables issues, Aircraft, property, plant and equipment issues, Air Traffic Liability, Purchase and payables, Excess annual area risks, Goods and Services Tax (GST) receivable and Information technology setbacks.

“These issues have contributed to the company facing significant losses and faces cash flow difficulties though improvement in the financial performance during the year,” the report stated.

The report said that the company failed to produce realistic budget proposals which prompted uncertainty on the ability of the company to continue operating and generating profit.

It adds, “… and raises questions on whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in the preparation of the financial statements.

“We note that despite the Company being in losses for consecutive years, budgets are optimistically prepared to show profit.

“Management should be realistic in their preparation of the budget and forecast, these are the recommendations made by the Auditor General’s Office.”

BY JARED KOLI

VOLUNTEERS will today begin to collect signatures from patients at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) to call on the Prime Minister to call for a Commission of Enquiry (COE) into the medical and health service provided at the hospital.

With observed lack of access to quality health services at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), the move is headed by a local civil society activist, Ishmael Nori, and has received overwhelming support from the public, members of the Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII), and Young Women Parliamentary Group (YWPG).

In a phone interview yesterday, Mr Nori who is a patient at NRH, said volunteers will gather outside the NRH Rehabilitation Unit before moving on to different wards within the hospital to collect signatures from patients who support this worthy cause.

“The Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NRH is supportive of the move, and give us a nudge that patients have right to call for quality health services. We will work in close collaboration with FSII and YWPG starting tomorrow (today) to give out petition forms to patients and invited their signatures,” Nori said.

He said nurses who support this can also sign in the petition forms.

“After this we will compile all the signatories and see where we can go from here to present this to the Prime Minister. We are looking at presenting the signatories to the prime minister through a Member of Parliament (MP) who will act as our Ambassador.

“We want to see the recommendations set in the 2009 and 2015 Special Select Committee report into the Quality of Medical Services provided at NRH fully implemented, more on the development aspects of NRH,” Nori added.

He earlier told Island Sun that people and ordinary citizens of this country deserve a St Vincent-like quality hospital service provided at the NRH.

“I have observed that for many people, there is nothing much to do for them here, if we can have services that are accessed by our Ministers or Members of Parliament at St Vincent hospital here during the early stages of their sick, that could prevent deaths and save lives here,” he adds.

Nori also questions how the government prioritizes health workers, doctors, nurses and technical staff on specialized trainings.

“What we want the government to do is to prioritise to save lives same as the quality of service at its sister hospital, St Vincent hospital in Sydney, Australia,” Nori said.

He said the petition is for people who believe that this is a good cause, all for the sake of improving quality of service in the hospital, such as improved state of the art medical facilities and so forth.

“How can we afford this, knowing our needs, identifying our medical needs is what we want, and at the same time identify specialize training needs to serve our people.

“Besides hospital relocation, the government must look at this as a national project,” Nori said.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Technical Department has released its 35-member training squad for the national under-16 yesterday.

The squad was selected from the recent Youth Solomon Cup Under-16 competition held in Honiara earlier this month.

This is to prepare for this year’s Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Under-16 Championship.

Honiara will play host to the regional junior qualifiers from September 8 to 22 with all matches likely to be played at Lawson Tama Stadium.

The Western Tomoko Under-16 winning side dominates the pick with a total of eight players selected for the training squad followed by Malaita and Honiara with seven players each.

Guadalcanal has four of its players selected, Central (three players) while Rennell and Bellona has two players selected.

Local Honiara club Marist will also have its representation in the national training squad with three players.

The former national senior men’s assistant coach Stanley Waita has been appointed to take charge of the head coaching role for the national under-16 side.

The former national center midfielder will be assisted by Henry Fa’arodo Junior as the assistant coach.

According to the team management, training will start earlier March.

“This list is not final, it is a training list. And it is also an open list – we can still add and remove players as soon as we start training.

“Training will start around early March 2018. We will be in touch with the coaches and parents of the players selected and make arrangements for each player especially the ones in the provinces.

“To the players’ coaches and parents, please contact the federation’s technical department on 26496 to confirm availability or if there are any concerns regarding your child.

“The earlier we sort things out the better it is. So your assistance is very much important too,” a statement from the SIFF technical department said yesterday.

See below members of the training squad.

Goalkeepers:

Felix Advent (Central), Lloyd Kari (Malaita) and Edilson Lamupio (Western)

Defenders:

Edward Aulanga (Honiara), Sanau Hou (Honiara), John Misi (Malaita), Benedict Ferani (Malaita), Patson Tongaka (Renbel), Fresha Sofu (Renbel), Fabio Pao (Western), Benbate Lamupio (Western), Chackie Dadson (Western) and Ronado Cromwell (Marist).

Midfielders:

Roljar Damme (Central), Philip Ropa (Guadalcanal), Jones Manearoa (Guadalcanal), Francis Sade (Guadalcanal), Roque Junior (Honiara), Watson Kiko (Honiara), Stephen Koti (Malaita), Julius Kera (Western), Mattson Hoto (Western), Xavier Omearo (Marist) and Kelvin Mekawir (Honiara)

Forwards:

Luke Tena (Central), Gregory Langilana (Honiara), Junior Lea’alafa (Honiara), Jack Baera (Malaita), Floyd Hagi (Malaita), Joshua Baela (Malaita), Hamilton Pao (Western), Clenty Lamupio (Western) and Raphael Le’ai (Marist).