No action made to fix deteriorating health centre: Official

By JIMMY KALEBE
DESPITE concerns raised regarding the deteriorating state and closure of the Wau health centre in Bulolo, Morobe, two months ago, there is still no approach made to have the facility fixed, according to an official.
Morobe public health inspector Zabuna Gina said the K100,000 commitment that Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu made had been honoured, but still, that money was not enough to set up a temporary facility before a permanent structure was set up.
Saonu said he presented the money to the NKW Group to start work on the facility.
He said he had given the money and it was the prerogative of NKW and Bulolo health authority to decide what was best to do with the money.
“To renovate or build a temporary facility is something that they have to decide, but Morobe administration will be there to help in building new structures and is open for further dialogue,” he said.
Gina said with a great need for health services to the Wau population, they would need K300,000 to build a temporary facility to provide the services.
“According to Department of Health and World Health Organisation specifications and health care standards, the Wau health facility was established as district rural hospital,” Gina said.
He said over time, the facility had deteriorated and it was no longer a place of healing.
“It is now a health risk to the public with structural defects and beyond human habitations, both the health facility and seven staff houses as well,” he said.
“The place is just unhygienic and totally rundown and it warrants demolishing all its structures.
“This facility needs to have all its building infrastructures pulled down and new structures need to be built which might cost more than K2 million.
“Water supply system and sanitation is no longer there and it is not safe for the hospital to use water supply from the town as it is not a treated water supply.”
Gina further said the authorities should now look at utilising the administration building built recently within the Wau health centre premises to serve the people temporarily while they worked around to get the facility up.