The Isabel Provincial Health Division in Buala received a new Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (RWASH) and Environmental Health Division complex on 3 November, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services said.
The complex is valued at SBD$2.03 million and was funded by the European Union under its Budget Support Programme for WASH in Solomon Islands. The handover ceremony was held under the theme "Strengthening Environmental Health and RWASH Services Through Partnership for a Healthier Isabel Province".
Ministry RWASH Manager Jack Filiomea thanked the Isabel Provincial Government, the Provincial Health Division and contractor 2CMJ Builders for their work through the construction. He said the EU Budget Support Project for WASH in Solomon Islands began in 2015 and ended in mid-2021.
Filiomea said the building will give office space to Environmental Health officers responsible for RWASH programme activities and environmental health statutory functions in Isabel Province, and secure storage for water supply hardware, fittings, materials and accessories.
The facility supports the government's commitment to improving public health through disease prevention, health promotion, awareness programmes, rehabilitation and work to reduce preventable health risks, he said.
"The facility will also support the rollout of Healthy Settings initiatives in workplaces and strengthen WASH implementation in health facilities across the province," Filiomea said.
He said the complex would help improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services and strengthen environmental health programmes in Isabel Province and across Solomon Islands.
Isabel Provincial Health Director Martin Gavira called the handover an important step in strengthening environmental health and RWASH services in the province. He said the building would serve as a centre for coordination, planning and service delivery.
Gavira thanked the Isabel Provincial Government for allocating the land on which the facility was built, and acknowledged the ministry's Environmental Health and RWASH Division for its technical guidance and oversight during the project.
Deputy Provincial Secretary Rex Manasseh, speaking for the Isabel Provincial Government, thanked the European Union for the funding and said the investment showed a commitment to strengthening health services.
Manasseh said the complex would give Environmental Health and RWASH staff a safe and professional place to work as they deliver services across the province. Through the partnership, he said, Isabel Province had been recognised as a priority location for the decentralisation of health infrastructure and services.