Laloki Hospital will access clean water after 19 years

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By ERIC PIET
AFTER 19 years of using borehole water, clean water will be connected to Laloki Hospital following an agreement signed between the Health Department, Eda Ranu and the hospital.
The agreement also brought to an end sit-in protest by hospital staff, which lasted three weeks, where they demanded clean water.
The protest started after a waterborne disease broke up in the hospital in Feb 27 affecting both patients and staff caused by bacterial pollution.
That had led to the premature release of more than 80 psychiatric patients.
Present on Friday to unlock the hospital gate were Health Department executive manager standard division and chief medical officer Dr Gua Tau and senior standard technical adviser Magaru Maluo, who on behalf of the department handed the memorandum of agreement to the hospital, signed by Health Secretary Pascoe Kase and Eda Ranu.
Dr Tau said: “I am signing on behalf of the hospital on this memorandum of agreement in your presence, which already bears the signatures of the Health Secretary Pascoe Kase and Eda. Work will commence soon, and this now marks the end of your sit-in protest.
“Your provision of services to the patients (health care) can now recommence.”
Tau also requested the hospital management to report to his office on quarterly basis on areas of its operations and finances.
“We want to see these reports so that we can now work more closely with you.”
Hospital acting director medical service Joyce Sonoling in acknowledging Tau said they would improve their operations and regularly update the department.