Work on the new Manuopo Area Health Centre (AHC) is nearing completion with around 4000 people within its catchment area to benefit from the new facility and the services to be provided once it opens.
Based on an assessment by the Ministry of Health’s Infrastructure Officer last week, 95 per cent of the job is done with only 5 per cent remaining, including finishing touches such as tiling and vanishing with few remaining plumbing tasks for the facility and staff house.
The project has encountered delays due to poor road access to the construction site, frequent bad weather that often-halted work for weeks and months, and the COVID-19 pandemic that restricted movements.
Nevertheless, the soon-to-be-open AHC will improve health services including the work safety of the team of nurses serving in Manuopo once it opens.
Manuopo clinic’s senior nurse said that the current clinic is too old and poses great risks to the health and life of both staff and patients.
“The deteriorating status of the old clinic structure has also impacted the types of service that we can offer for instance the birthing room has now become unsafe for mothers to deliver their babies so very soon we will not be able to accommodate birthing mothers”.
He said the new facility will ensure safety for workers and patients and the facility space and equipment brought into the facility will expand healthcare services and improve existing ones.
As per the National Health Role Delineation Policy, the Manuopo AHC is an AHC level 1 (one) facility that will provide general and obstetric inpatient services and anesthetic services, adults, ketamine and local for minor surgical procedures. It will be the first level in the system where HIV counselling, testing and treatment are offered as well as in-patient services for communicable diseases such as severe malaria. The Ministry will also investigate providing advanced ophthalmology services and visiting dental services for Manuopo AHC.
The AHC will also be the first level in the health system where either a resident or visiting Medical Officer shall prescribe antihypertensive, statin and hypoglycemics drugs according to a patient’s assessed cardiovascular risk including common cancer screening programmes. Community-based rehabilitation and environmental health services will also be provided.
The team from the Ministry deployed to Manuopo including the contractor met with the Manuopo Health Committee providing updates and responding to some issues including the demolition of the old health facility and other final requirements before the official opening of the new AHC scheduled to happen soon.
With the implementation of the Role Delineation Policy, the Ministry of Health with support from partners has opened AHCs level 1 for Avuavu and Aola in Guadalcanal province and Afio AHC level 2 in Malaita province in 2022. This year preparations and construction is underway for another new AHC in Tukutaunga also in Temotu province, Wagina in Choiseul and Konide in Isabel province.
Construction of new Rural Health Clinics will also be carried out this year for Gounataea communities in Malaita, Leona in the Western Province and Dedeu in Isabel.
Source: MHMS Media