BY CHRIS ALEX
The lack of medical and health services on Sikaiana is taking its toll on the education of children on the atoll, it is reported.
As more and more people leave to seek medical attention in Honiara, the only school on Sikaiana is also losing teachers.
Principal Thomas Sapivaka raised the alarm yesterday saying half of his teachers have left for medical reasons.
In an interview with Island Sun on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Mr Sapivaka described their situation as a ‘nightmare’ where any injury, fever or ache in the body could signal a potential ‘life or death condition’.
“School children are missing school and our teachers have gone to Honiara taking their sick children searching medical treatment.
“And, while already low on teachers, we are expecting two more to follow the ship which is scheduled for Sikaiana this month who will take their sick children to Honiara for diagnosis and treatment.
“Classes will be affected, with students expected to miss more classes due to not having any teacher available,” he said.
Sapivaka questioned why Kiluufi hospital in mainland Malaita is failing its duty to provide Sikaiana with a nurse.
“Since it is not sending any nurses to Sikaiana, the Kiluufi hospital could have at least thought of sending a nurse with the monthly ships that come to Sikaiana to treat the sick.
“This would definitely help to alleviate the problem while they look for a nurse to come and be stationed here,” Sapivaka said.
Kiluufi hospital could not be reached for comment. Phone calls to the hospital’s director of nursing went unanswered.
The health emergency on Sikaiana began spiraling last year when the last nurse stationed on the island left in October 2024.
Since then, the atoll’s 300-plus population has been left without any direct medical support.
With limited transportation options to and from the remote atoll, those seeking treatment are often unable to return for months.
“This isn’t just about health anymore. The lack of nurses has created a chain reaction. Teachers are leaving because they can’t access basic medical care, and that’s having a devastating impact on education,” Mr. Sapivaka added.
Local leaders have long pleaded with responsible authorities to urgently deploy medical personnel to the island, but their calls have so far gone unanswered.
Opposition Leader Matthew Wale has amplified the call for help, calling the government’s inaction “pure negligence”.
“It’s been 11 months, and when such serious matters regarding health services go unnoticed, it is no longer an oversight but pure negligence,”
“The situation in Sikaiana demands immediate action from the responsible authorities,” Wale said in a press statement on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
The current crisis illustrates a growing pattern of systemic neglect towards remote communities in the Solomon Islands, where access to essential services remains a chronic challenge.
Residents of Sikaiana are now urging the government to treat the situation with the urgency it deserves before the atoll’s fragile systems collapse entirely under the weight of compounded crises.
“We cannot continue like this. We need nurses now. We need our teachers to be healthy and present. If nothing is done, the future of our children, and the wellbeing of our entire community, is at serious risk,” Sapivaka warned.
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