Sylvan serving along Lake Murray

 LAKE Murray in Western province is receiving much-needed health services – thanks to the PNG Sustainable Development Program’s project mv Sylvan which began operations this week.

The health patrol team on the vessel began conducting antenatal and immunisation clinic for mothers and babies at Boboa on Tuesday.

“All the communities around Lake Murray and along the rivers that flow into the lake will be covered,” project manager of Western province rubber development project Stephen Charteris said.

“There are about 20 communities covering a population of around 12,000 people.  

“We expect it will take about four weeks to make a complete visit to the all the communities. 

 “The medicine are being supplied by the Oil Search Ltd health foundation as are six of our nursing officers and midwives. 

“Apart from those, we have two eye technicians from Callan Services, a division of the Catholic Mission.

“If it is ascertained that there are people who need cataract or other corrective surgery to improve their vision, the plan is for a surgical team to visit the Lake in July to undertake the necessary surgery. 

“The vessel will visit each community where patients needing this service have been identified and the surgical team will carry out the operations in a mini ope­rating theatre set up on the vessel.

“Ultimately our goal is to facilitate and strengthen the delivery of the essential services that the lake communities have missed out on for more than two decades.”