Health official wants health facilities to meet standards

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
HEALTH facilities must be built according to health standards and requirements, Morobe health programme adviser Micah Yawing says.
He was referring to an aid post built six years ago at Busama village in Huon Gulf. The facility has not been used because it has no water supply.
The facility was said to cost about half a million kina. It was funded by the Department of Planning and Monitoring, and included an outpatient, admission ward, consultation room and labour ward, with two staff houses.
Yawing, however, said that Morobe was a big province and services should be at populated areas.
“In Huon district, we have the Morobe Health Centre, Salamaua Health Centre and Wampar Health Centre.
“In health, buildings must reach standards, which means facilities must have outpatients, ward, delivery rooms and dispensary to name a few.
“A technical team will be sent to assess the facility, and check if requirements are met. We have no choice because the building is already erected. We have to make sure standards are met, then we can provide staff and drugs.
“The only thing do is to check and support them. The population is increasing in those areas and people need accessibility to services.
“In the meantime, as we assess it, we will make sure it meets requirements and to make it a sub-health centre or a community aid post.”
Yawing said a visit by the provincial health team would be made as soon as possible so it could be upgraded to a sub-health centre level.