Water supply is our priority: Manape

Highlands

Ensuring a good quality water supply in Goroka town is the top priority for the Goroka Urban LLG and provincial health authority, says public health services director Dr Max Manape.
“The monitoring of public health services, mainly the town water supply, will be conducted by the Eastern Highlands health authority and continued effort is required at the water treatment plant to ensure that the water is safe for consumption,” Manape said.
“We are experiencing an increase of patients possibly coming from the two markets that are lining up to get treatment from the Goroka Provincial Hospital and the urban clinics in town.”
Manape said under a new agreement signed recently, both parties would work together to bring back public confidence in services provided in Goroka, especially the main market and other local markets in the town area.
He urged the Goroka district development authority, Goroka rural LLG, police and other government agencies to assist them in addressing public health concerns in regard to the condition of Kakaruk and Chuave markets.
Manape said these markets’ unhygienic condition caused a rise in diarrheal diseases and sexually transmitted infections due to a population boom, consumption of alcohol and drugs in public.
Acting EHP administrator Samson Akunai said the administration would support initiatives to keep the town free from public health issues and urged all government agencies to work
together to implement government policies.