MHMS to ‘send contractor tomorrow’
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
PEOPLE of Pele in the Reef Islands, Temotu Province are said to be desperately in need of health services following incomplete work on the Manuopo mini hospital.
And, they are calling for the government to intervene and see to the ‘quick completion of Manuopo mini hospital’.
The ministry of health (MHMS) says it will send the contractor to the site tomorrow (Thursday) to complete the work.
“Pele people in the Reef Islands of Temotu Province are calling on the contractor and the responsible ministry to quickly complete the outstanding works that are yet to be done at Manuopo mini hospital. It took the contractor almost three years now.
“There are some patients admitted that need good medical services but are being denied because of the poor facilities. There are also some deaths that could be avoided if the hospital is operational,” a media statement by community leaders of Pele this week said.
“We call all upon the government to quickly intervene; if the current contractor cannot live up to the anticipated timeline better still cancel their contract and get a new one. People of Pele cannot tolerate the delay.
“We asked those involve in the project not to politise it for their own political gains rather work together to ensure the hospital is complete and ready to operate to serve the people of Pele.”
The MHMS in response to Island Sun enquiries admits that the Monuopo Area Health Centre in the Reef Islands is incomplete, which is caused by a lot of factors which include bad weather, poor road access, and the November riots.
“This Thursday 23rd February, the contractor will return to the site to complete the remaining work, which includes the tiling of a few rooms in the clinic house and the varnishing of the reception area with few plumbing tasks.
“Remaining work for staff house is the internal tiling inside the shower and a little plumbing work.
“As per the progress report from the contractor, the Ministry is mobilising a team from its infrastructure department to conduct an inspection of the Monuopu health centre in the next two weeks for verification purposes and once all requirements and takes are fulfilled a date will be set for the official opening of the health facility.
“The project encountered some delays along the way, that is caused by
-Very poor road access to the construction site- from Nyialo to Monuopo causing difficulties in moving materials from the wharf area to the site. The contractor had to use excavators and boats to transport materials to the construction site.
-Bad weather for most parts of 2020 in the Reef Islands also contributed to the delay. At one stage, workers could not work for two and half months straight due to very bad weather.
-The COVID-19 community transmission in 2022 with the movement restrictions, to and fro the province, imposed by the provincial government had also contributed to the delay. For four months workers were not able to proceed with construction.
-In Late 2021 and 2022 riot and looting, contractor’s commitment was affected due to the burning down of its assets at Henderson and Ranadi,” the MHMS said.
