BY CHRIS ALEX
The people of Takwa in Lau Baelelea Constituency have celebrated a transformative milestone with the recent opening of the newly renovated maternity ward at Takwa Rural Health Center, a development described as a vital lifeline for remote communities in the northern region of Malaita.
The upgrade was made possible through the leadership of Member of Parliament for Lau Baelelea Constituency, Ben Maenuu, and the constituency office.
The facility will now serve thousands of people in the northern region of Malaita, offering essential primary healthcare ranging from routine checkups to emergency maternal care.
Speaking during the event, Nurse in Charge at Kwailabesi Clinic expressed heartfelt gratitude on behalf of expectant mothers across the constituency. She recalled the challenges women previously faced, with nighttime deliveries often depending on the dim glow of mobile phone torches, if available.
“When complications arose, families had no choice but to beg truck owners for rides over rough roads to distant hospitals like Malu’u or Kilufi. It was often a matter of life and death.
“No more. This ward means safe births, skilled care, and hope for our mothers and babies. On behalf of every mum in Lau Baelelea, we are deeply thankful,” she expressed.
According to Eddie Kairi, Takwa Rural Health Center is one of more than 300 rural health facilities across the Solomon Islands providing free services such as immunizations, maternal care, and child health checks.
With 82 percent of Solomon Islanders living in rural areas, such facilities are crucial in bridging health service gaps, reducing long travel times, and saving lives in communities facing challenges like limited transport and the growing impacts of climate change.
The renovation of the maternity ward is expected to significantly strengthen primary healthcare in the region, ensuring safer deliveries and better health outcomes for mothers and children.
The community has hailed the development as a step forward in building a stronger, healthier Solomon Islands one ward, one ambulance, one step at a time.
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