Centre waiting for supplies

The National National

By JUNIOR UKAHA
THE ransacked Malahang Health Centre in Lae, will re-open for business as soon as important medical supplies were stocked up, says sister-in-charge Daisy Basa.
Basa clarified this yesterday after some patients turned up at the health facility only to find it closed and had to seek treatment elsewhere.
Authorities closed the clinic for an indefinite period after criminals broke into the facility and stole vital medicines on Sept 28. The gang ransacked the clinic, breaking down doors, windows, drawers and damaging equipment.
They stolen the clinic’s stocks of Mala 1 (malaria medicine), Amoxcyline, Panadol and some consumables.
“Maintenance work at the clinic is complete and we are ready to reopen it but there are no medicines to treat patients,” Basa said.
“We have managed to get the Lae district to assist us fix the damaged parts of the clinic but need to restock our medicines. As soon as we get our medical supplies we will reopen the clinic to the public.”
The sister-in-charge said that she spoke with the area medical store people and was awaiting their feedback on when medicines would arrive.
Since the closure of the health center people had to seek alternative medical services elsewhere in Lae, with some travelling long distances from their homes.
Malahang Health Centre serves more than 30,000 people in the Ahi and Lae Urban LLGs.  The break-and-enter last month was the third such incident at the clinic.
Thieves had also broken into the clinic in May and August stealing cash and medicines.
Ahi LLG president Sam Agi affirmed that the health centre would be reopened as soon as medicines were received.
Agi has written to the provincial health adviser Micah Yawing and is awaiting a response from him.
“It (clinic) is an important facility for our LLG so we will do everything we can to get it reopen as soon as possible,” Agi said.
“This clinic serves between 50 and 200 people a day so we can’t afford to have it closed forever as our people will be greatly affected,” Agi said.
Agi said he was disappointed that no suspects were caught in relation to the crime.
“We have conducted an awareness with police following the incident and I do not expect another breaking-and-enter incident again at the clinic,” he said.