Upgrade Salamaua aid post, says health worker

By GLORIA BAUAI
AN aid post in Busamang, Salamaua manned by two men has been operating like a health centre for years, says community health worker Andolyn Anjen.
Anjen, from Madang, has been based at the health facility for 23 years.
“When I started, we were using a smaller facility, serving a population between 500 and 1000,” she said.
“Over the years, the catchment population has increased up to about 2,000 to 3,000.
“But the service available is not comparable.”
Anjen said the two-man aid post had only two health workers operating an inpatient ward, dispensary, outpatient, antenatal and delivery room and minor theatre rooms.
She said the manpower could not cater for number of patients in a day, including emergency cases and other programmes they were required to run.
Anjen explained that drug supplies from the Salamaua Health Centre usually ran out in about two weeks.
In an interview with The National last week, Anjen said their last supplies which came in the first week of December, were used up before Christmas.
“We have to wait two months to place a new order for the next supply,” she said.
“Sometimes, we do emergency orders, especially for common drugs like Amox and panadol.”
Anjen said the facility needed to be recommended for a status elevation to health centre so it could be equipped accordingly to cater for the population and varied illnesses like cardiac arrests which had become common more recently.
“We would also want to be registered with the Area Medical Store,” she said.
“So, we can get direct supplies since we are treating cases like a health centre.”