Children miss out on immunisation

By DOROTHY MARK
Hundreds of children in parts of the Simbai area in Madang have not being immunised for more than 10 years.
Gama LLG president Elijah Kas was frustrated over the death of a woman during birth on Saturday.
He said there were no routine clinics in the Ganj and Mareng census division of Gama LLG in the Usino-Bundi district and that had contributed to health problems for more than 15,000 people living in the area.
“People now aged 15 to  20 years old had not been immunised since birth,” he said.
“I am afraid because if a big virus hits the area, many of them will die or badly hurt.”
He said he asked the health authorities several times to do routine clinics in the area but nothing happened.
Madang health director Markus Kachau confirmed there was no clinical routine for the Gama LLG.
He said the Usino-Bundi district health service was responsible for conducting  immunisation programmes for children in Gama LLG.
Kachau said cash-flow problems for the province affected funds going into the area to immunise children.
He said the government committed K500,000 for a health centre to be built there to ease health problems.
Kas said the only people managed to get fast medical services was by medivac and only the lucky ones get access to that service.
He said good funding and management of airstrip funds would also enable the people travel into town and get proper medical treatment.