Islanders receive boats to support patients

National

Kairiru Islanders in East Sepik have received two boats to transport their sick and injured patients to the Boram General Hospital on Wednesday.
“This is a first for Shagur aid post to have boats to be used as ambulances, since it was built in the colonial days,” aid post chairman Wolfy Kalen told The National yesterday.
Kalen said for emergencies, islanders usually asked private boat owners to transport the sick and injured to Boram General Hospital.
He said many people had died because vital resources such as boats were lacking.
“Before that, our people died from snake bites, malaria, loss of blood from injuries and high fevers.
“Also, a lot of our mothers and babies have been dying during pregnancies and at child birth,” Kalen said.