Quake damages 15 health facilities

FIFTEEN health facilities were destroyed in Hela, Southern Highlands and Western, according to findings of the earthquake assessment teams.
These and others will not be part of the Health Emergency Response and Recovery Plan for the affected areas, the Health Department said.
A statement from the department said recovery and response plan would cost about K16.8 million in the first three months and a similar amount in the next phase.
On presentation of the plan to the Government through emergency controller Bill Hamblin last week, the Government allocated K4 million for the plan to be implemented.
Health Department executive manager of public health Dr Sibauk Bieb, who is now the manager of the National Health Disaster Response, said that of the K4 million, K2 million would be used immediately for the mobilisation of health workers across the country to provide relief cover for their colleagues in Hela and Southern Highlands, as well as relocate staff and students of Mendi School of Nursing to other nursing schools.
It was also found that health workers are either overworked or traumatised by the ordeal.
The other K2 million will be used to buy cold chain equipment for health facilities as it has been found that most health facilities hit by the earthquake are badly in need of fridges.
A total of 25 development partners are working with the Health Department to implement the plan.
World Health Organisation has also formed a merger with the department to provide coordination of the health response plan.
“With the 15 health facilities completely destroyed, those that are open are just seeing outpatient cases because the earth is still shaking,” Bieb said.
Due to low immunisation coverage rates in Hela and Southern Highlands, disease outbreaks are imminent so efforts are being made to boost the routine immunisation activities and set up a buffer stock of medical supplies to prevent disease outbreaks, particularly vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.