People of Weathercoast will soon access better health services. By November this year, work should be complete on the newly constructed Avuavu mini hospital.

The Weathercoast stretches along the southern coast of Guadalcanal, and with no road connectivity it has been a challenge when there are no proper medical facilities.

Guadalcanal Province Health Director, Joel Denty, says the people of the Weathercoast usually spend $3000 to $4000 to travel to Honiara by boat.

He says transferring very sick patients to the National Referral Hospital has been a long-standing issue because of the distance.

“Some lost their lives halfway through the trip”, Denty says. He says pregnant women are the most vulnerable.

Denty says once complete, people from the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal will benefit from it.

Denty says the mini hospital will provide health specialists with the necessary space and facility to ensure people in the area are well served.

Denty says that the project started a year ago, and when it is fully operational thousands of people in Weathercoast will soon have access to a fully fledged health care service.

“Apart from Doctors this should include dentists, a small pharmacy and lab specialists so that the hospital can deliver the quality of care for patients,” Mr. Denty said.

Denty says Marau, Tangarare and Aola clinics will also be upgraded. Different funding agencies are stepping in to assist the provincial government.

Denty thanked the donor partner KOICA for funding the Avuavu mini hospital project and the community for supporting his division to make sure work on the project progress smoothly.