Health centre runs out of medicines

Papua

THE Kukipi Health Centre in Malalaua District in Gulf has run out of drugs to treat patients since last December.
Chairman for the Tuaripi Council of Chiefs Fred Eovo said: “We want to strongly appeal to the Gulf health authority to deal with this issue immediately.”
“Many patients suffering from severe malaria, tuberculosis, asthma, snake bite and even mothers facing complications with child birth are turned way.
“This is because the key to the drug storeroom has been taken away by the former health extension officer Woukota Mwesi who left to work in Malalaua station.
“We have only one nursing officer working while the other is on leave and we are likely to lose more people if there is a disease break out.”
The health centre serves about 9000 people in the East Kerema and Taurie-Lakekamu LLGs in Malalaua and has only three staff including the HEO who left.
Eovo told The National that they had insisted for the HEO to return to the health centre but she negotiated with the district heath coordinator and left the key with him.
“The key is still with Simeon (district health coordinator) and the people of Malalaua are still in need of medical drugs.
“This shows the incompetence and negligence of the health workers in Kerema,” he said.
Meanwhile, the people in the two LLGs petitioned the health authority in their board meeting last Thursday, at Malalaua station.
The purpose of the meeting was to either close the health centre or downrade it to aid post level.
“Neither of these decisions are not favourable for the people because the health centre serves massive number of people,” Evov said.