BY LIONEL TAORAO
ISLES MEDIA FREELANCE REPORTER IN ULAWA
PEOPLE on Ulawa Island in the Makira Ulawa province has raised concerns over the delay of distribution of mosquito nets which are yet to be distributed around Ulawa by the Taheramo clinic Malaria technician.
Many have shared the same sentiments stating that malaria infections on Ulawa Island at this point in time is high and they are surprised that a total of 82 bales of mosquito bed nets that were delivered to Ulawa island in December 2021 are still kept at the Taheramo clinic by the malaria technician, Mr. Venasio Hou.
Many have questioned why the bed nets are yet to be distributed whilst the malaria technician himself knows that malaria infection on Ulawa is on the rise.
A mother from Haraina community, Mrs. Stephanie Bale says that she is very surprised to see that responsible people for the distribution of the mosquito nets have not done their jobs when they themselves know that malaria recorded cases on Ulawa Island is high.
“The bales of Bed nets arrived on Ulawa last December and since then those responsible haven’t yet distributed any single bed net so far”, she says.
This has raised many questions as to why those responsible are still keeping the mosquito nets at Taheramo clinic for this long.
Mrs. Bale says that if the bed nets are for sale then the malaria technician or the Nurses should inform the general public of Ulawa so that families can purchase bed nets for them so that they can use them in their homes, especially at this time when malaria cases are high on Ulawa Island.
“If the bed nets are for sale then the malaria technician and the Nurses should inform us so that we can purchase bed nets for our families”, she says.
Mrs. Stephanie Bale says that this shows that some people are not doing their job if the bed nets are for free and to be distributed to the Ulawa populace, especially during this time when malaria infections are high and the clinics around Ulawa Island facing medicine shortages regularly.
However, the Makira Ulawa provincial Vector-borne disease control unit supervisor, Mr. Trevor Punifimana when asked during his recent visit to Ulawa Island accompanying the Americal team from Kirakira says that the delay to distribute the bed nets is because of the Covid19 situation the province is facing that restricts inter-island traveling in the province.
He said that his team will travel over to Ulawa to do the distributions soon depending on the Covid19 situation the province is facing.
A total of 82 bales of mosquito nets have been discharged at Su’u Moli wharf in early December 2021.
