BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
The minister of health has refuted claim by the Opposition leader that the status of the national referral hospital is dire.
One of the reasons Opposition Leader Matthew Wale stood on to call for the recent motion of no confidence vote against prime minister Manasseh Sogavare is the overcrowding and lack of facilities to accommodate patients at the hospital’s emergency ward.
Mr Wale had said “patients sleeping on the floor of the National Referral Hospital’s accident and emergency ward indicates that Democratic Coalition Government Advancement has not provided the much-needed resources in a reflection of poor and failed leadership of the prime minister”.
But, contributing to the motion of no-confidence on Monday this week, Health minister Dr Culwick Togamana disagreed.
“I choose to disagree the NRH infrastructure has improved with government investment,” Togamana said.
He said the CT scan building at the NRH has completed with an investment and is government owned, worth $17m.
“All necessary trainings have been conducted and getting all necessary equipment including the CT scanner into the country and installation is underway.”
Togamana said all provinces and provincial hospitals have two or more medical doctors except for Renbel.
He said medical doctors are also posted in three Area Health Centres; Tingoa, Marau and Tangarare.
“And in the Honiara City council clinics and nearby Guadalcanal clinics doctors run outpatients clinics during working days.”
Togamana said through the Japanese grant aid, provincial hospitals and primary health cares have been equipped.
“Stethoscopes with blood pressure machines and other medical machines have been distributed to strengthen the provincial health services.
He adds that the Good Samaritan Hospital has also been enhanced in terms of its capability and capacity from blood test and x-ray.
“This is an important achievement.
“This development reduces cost to both Good Samaritan hospital and people travelling to NRH for health services.”
