LEADER of the Opposition, Hon. Matthew Wale calls on the Government to come out clear and outline its plans to address the issues raised by Malaita Province, and to do the same for other high-risk provinces that may also be facing the same concerns.
Hon. Wale made this call following recent claims by the Malaita Provincial Health Director, Dr. David Danitofea who revealed that more than 70 percent of the health care systems in that province are now running down, just awaiting shut down.
“The figure is quite high and truly staggering in light of our Covid-19 preparedness plans and the extreme pressures that provincial health care centers are already facing due to the deteriorating government finances,” says the Opposition Leader.
Hon. Wale went on to add that, “Our Provincial health care centers provide a strategic back-up in our Covid-19 preparedness plans besides providing normal services to the majority of our people. Their infrastructure, medical and manpower needs, therefore, should never be negotiated, especially those in high-risk provinces”.
He says if our most populated province is unable to cope with its normal health care needs, one wonders how the province will assist our national preparedness strategies in preventing and containing Covid-19 in the event of community transmission in the province if that were to occur.
“Surely this must also be a concern that applies to other high-risk provinces like Choiseul and Western Provinces hence the importance of immediately addressing the issues raised by Malaita’s Health Director,” Hon. Wale further adds.
“I, therefore, call on the Government to lay out its plans on how the shortfalls raised by Malaita Province are going to be addressed. The Government must also now plan to make available all required infrastructure and resources and must run diagnostic tests for Covid-19 and the vaccination program in the provinces,” the Opposition Leader stresses.
SOURCE: OPPOSITION PRESS
