Villagers in dire need of health services

 VILLAGERS living on the border of Mul-Baiyer and Dei districts, Western Highlands, are being forced to travel long distances to seek medical treatment.

This is because the remote Keta aid post does not have the manpower and medicine to treat patients.

The aid post closed in 2007 after the only aid post orderly retired and numerous pleas by the locals not been heeded by provincial health authorities.

Joe Bisson, a non-governmental activist and member of the Transparency International, said this was depriving the people of their rights to health, education and other vital government services.

He said the aid post had medical supplies but needed an aid post orderly to treat the patients.

“To get to the nearest health centre, patients walk three-four kilometres, wait long hours to be served at the health centre and walk back home,” Bisson said.

Three patients died in 2007, two in 2009 and many other deaths went unreported since the aid post closed.