BETTER HEALTH SERVICES A STEP CLOSER FOR EAST CENTRAL GUADALCANAL
THE people of Aola, East Central Guadalcanal
will soon have access to better health care closer to home, thanks to a
partnership between the community and Ministry of Health and Medical Services
(MHMS), the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the World Health
Organization (WHO).
Members of
the Aola Clinic Committee met with representatives of the three organizations last
week to discuss plans for the refurbishment of the Aola Area Health Centre,
which serves a catchment area of around 10,000 people. Improvements will
include a completely renovated clinic building – including a confidential space
for survivors of domestic violence - running water, improved septic tank
system, toilets and showers, a pharmacy, delivery room, and separate wards for
men and women.
All going to plan, construction should get under way by October
this year. In the meantime, the clinic will move to a temporary location closer
to the main road where nursing staff will continue to offer basic services.
Dr Joel Denty |
The focus
of the project goes beyond “bricks and mortar” says Dr Joel Denty, Provincial
Health Director.
Aola is one of many centres being upgraded as part of the
Government’s plan to ensure everyone in the Solomon Islands has access to
quality health care.
The renovations will enable staff to deliver better
quality services, particularly in the area of maternal and newborn health.
“East
Central Guadalcanal has high infant mortality rates and low childhood
vaccination rates, compared with the rest of the province and the country. Many
women travel to Honiara to give birth.
The trip is long and arduous, over rough
roads, and it is expensive for families to stay in town.
Once the renovation is
done, there will be a fulltime doctor based at Aola and staff will be able to
provide full obstetric care before, during and after delivery, including ultrasound
scanning, and newborn care,” Dr Denty said.
“Fewer people travelling to Honiara
for health care will also relieve some of the heavy caseload of the National
Referral Hospital.”
The current health centre at Aola is
run down and needs work.
|
The
project is made possible through funding support from KOICA. A key objective of
the agency is to ensure access to essential reproductive, maternal and child
health services, said Regional Director, Mrs Michelle Kim.
“We are delighted to
be working with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and WHO on this
vital initiative. But ultimately, its success will depend on the community’s
commitment to using and maintaining the facility. This is their clinic.”
Mr Philip Maneka
|
WHO
Representative to the Solomon Islands, Dr Sevil Huseynova, also emphasised the
importance of community support.
“This is a four-way partnership. The Ministry
of Health is committed to providing access to safe, quality services. KOICA is committed
to providing the means to achieve that and to lifting the standard of
mother-child care.
WHO has worked with the Ministry to develop standards for
all the country’s health facilities and is bringing the partners together, and working
to ensure construction and the fit-out goes smoothly. Now we ask the community
to work with us to keep the facility secure, and the services running for the
long term.”
Vice Chair
of the local clinic committee, Mr Philip Maneka, said his community was excited
about the improvements and he pledged to support the centre.
He thanked the Government,
KOICA and WHO for their efforts. “This project gives me great joy. It has given
us a future. Our committee will try our best, working with staff, for the
betterment of the community – for our children and our children’s children.”
ENDS///
MHMS/WHO
Comments
Post a Comment