The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has taken concrete steps to establish an improved health facility in Wagina, a Gilbertese settlement in South Choiseul.
Funding has been secured and committed for the construction of Wagina health facility and the Ministry of Health together with Choiseul provincial health teams have been deployed to Wagina to identify sites for the construction of the new facility.
Once completed, the facility will be an Area Health Centre level 1. Meaning improved and expanded range of health services for the people there without the need to travel to Gizo hospital for a good number of medical services that often forces people to travel long distances, for many hours and at times through bad weather to Gizo.
Several sites have been discussed with the Wagina community, health committee members, along with site visits. Important considerations of ease of access for all persons such as laboring women, people with disabilities, and children including their safety guided the assessment of the site.
An ideal site, right at the center of two villages, Arariki and Kukutin which was previously used for a clinic that has now been demolished and the discussions for its use for the new Wagina Area Health Centre has commenced.
Several other proposed sites assessed fall short of meeting only a few of the important considerations highlighted above, however, discussions around these will also continue until all parties, the community and the Ministry of health are happy and satisfied.
A great show of support by the community through their health committee chairman who in his brief remarks assured the inspection team of the community’s support to all health initiatives in the village is highly appreciated by health.
The Ministry of Health is aware of the struggles and difficulties in accessing nearby health services by the people of Wagina and assured the public that with the current strong cooperation by the community and health authorities, including the Choiseul provincial government and provincial health teams, the matter should be resolved in the not so distant future.
In every support received to enable health progress through its programs and projects for the betterment of the health of Solomon Islanders, the Ministry of Health is greatly appreciative.
As such a big thank you to World Bank for funding support to health that has enabled the visit, assessment, and community discussions in Wagina.
Source: Press Release, Ministry of Health and Medical Services