No funds, churches still toiling

CHURCH-run health facilities continue to operate despite receiving limited funding over the years, an official says.
Christian Health Services (CHS) chief executive officer Ulch Tapia said churches served God and they were committed to serving with love, dedication, compassion and commitment.
He highlighted CHS operations and welfare of healthcare workers during a media background briefing for the NBC National Press Club organised by the Media Development Initiative (MDI) yesterday.
Tapia said in more than 100 years of providing undisrupted healthcare services, the churches staged a partial stop-work a few months back when their staff did not receive salaries for two to three months due to delay in the release of funds by the Government.
“We didn’t ask for more but what was appropriated for us,” he said.
“With the media’s help, the Government heard us and released funds for up to August. Under CHS are 27 different denominations that operate health facilities and health workers’ training schools throughout the country and most of them are in remote areas where Government health service is absent.
“It has 485 Government recognised health facilities and 15 health workers’ training schools (11 community health workers training schools and four nursing college of which two provide midwifery training).
“The church covers 63 per cent of the health facilities in the country.”
Tapia said the funding for the church health service was not enough.
“For instance, a level four standard hospital under CHS that performed better than a Government level four facility would receive less funding.
“An aid-post under CHS receives K2,000 funding for a year. Divide that into 12 months and it’s just not enough.”