Jetty completed, South-Fly people to access health centre

MORE than 15,000 people in communities around Mabudawan in South-Fly of Western will have better access to the Mabudawan Health Centre now that the new jetty there has been completed.
The Australian government funded the jetty through the transport sector support programme at a cost of K3.1 million.
“In previous years, reaching the health centre was a challenge for people as they had to travel through muddy shores on dugout canoes to access medical services,” officer-in-charge of the centre, Esongke Waurang, said.
He said people came from as far as Kunini, Morehead and Daru for health services.
“This was an enormous challenge, particularly for sick patients and persons with disability,” he said.
Waurang said the health centre had a pontoon with a hinged walkway, allowing 24-hour direct access to boats and enabling patients to reach medical services.
“This jetty will help connect people to the health services they need,” he said.
The Mabudawan jetty has been designed to withstand high tides and is expected to be in use for 20 years.
PNG-Australia transition to health programme adviser Kelwyn Browne, who worked closely with Esongke, said: “This simple but much-needed infrastructure will enable all sick people and other patients to reach the clinic whether they’re coming in from the rivers or up and down the coasts. It’ll also be a bit easier for the staff and the support team here to move medical supplies and other things to the centre.”
Mabudawan has a full range of medical facilities, including a maternity ward, dental clinic, tuberculosis consultation and isolation ward, pathology laboratory and accident and emergency centre.