After years of struggling, districts finally have health centre

THE people living in Imbonggu and Mendi-Munihu in Southern Highlands who have struggled for decades to access health services now have a new health centre that opened last Thursday.
The centre was opened by Southern Highlands Governor William Powi and National Gaming Control Board (NGCB) representatives.
The NGCB also presented an ambulance to the centre.
Former Lai-Valley president Jack Soal said the people in Mendi-Munihu had been using stretchers to transport people from their villages to a bus stop, then catch a PMV to Mendi Hospital.
“Many mothers have lost their lives due to birth complications while elderly people have died from curable diseases,” he said.
“We are thankful to the NGCB for the new ambulance and the provincial government for the health centre.
“We are also thankful to the provincial government for funding the K6 million Munihu-Sumia road that will make it easy for the ambulance to reach remote villages to help the sick.”
Powi said school children, when sick, needed to be treated at their health facility instead of wasting bus fare and travel time to Mendi Hospital.
“This province will never be the same as it will be transformed one day,” he said.
“The Government is giving priority to the rural population by supporting them in agriculture and small medium enterprise activities.”
Powi said the provincial health authority must immediately station health workers and medical equipment in the new facility.