Doctor visits villagers

IT was their first time to see a medical doctor equipped with medical supplies physically visiting patients.
Since independence in 1975, the people of Musak in the remote Usino-Bundi electorate never had access to proper medical supplies, education and other government infrastructure.
Like other remote parts of PNG, these people had to walk for miles to their nearest station, Usino, because there are no roads.
But on Aug 11, the villagers were surprised to receive a medical team from Ramu NiCo project, Dr Yang Yan of MCC-Ramu NiCo and Jericho Pan of Ramu NiCo community affairs.
Jericho and Yang were assisted by two local guides carrying the supplies including medical equipment as both were new to the area.                
The villagers were later told that Jericho and  Yang were medical team members of Ramu NiCo management company sent to the village under the request of the Usino-Bundi district LLG.
The people were astonished because after 35 years of political independence, medical visit as such was not possible due to the current poor transport infrastructure, non-availability of government employees and medical staff.
The villagers admitted that they never believed a foreign doctor of Chinese nationality would visit them one day.
It took 40 minutes to walk the rugged mountain to the isolated village.
Using a simple wall chart, Yang immediately explained to the villagers the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, cholera, malaria, AIDS, skin diseases and other common infectious diseases.
Yang later conducted medical examination and diagnosed those who were sick and treated them.