Babies in Aroma turned away without being immunised

DUE to lack of water and electricity at the Kupiano Health Centre in Abau district, Central province, mothers and their babies were turned away.
Mothers from the Aroma Coast, who took their babies to the Kupiano Health Centre to be immunised were sent back to their villages.
They were told that their babies could not be immunised due to water shortage and power problems.
A frustrated mother, Kalin Mahao, from Wanigela village, said babies in the Aroma Coast local level government had not been immunised the past five months.
“We come to the clinic and are sent back to our villages without being served,” she said.
Mrs Mahao said mothers who could afford PMV fares travel all the way to Port Moresby to have their children immunised.
Abau district health coordinator Etene Boyama said vaccinations for immunisations could not be stored due to lack of water and power.
Ms Boyama said that most of the district’s health workers did not have housing nor could not work under the current condition of the health centre, which had no running water or electricity.
She said the Kupiano Health Centre was in dire need of maintenance.