Almost a year now and Kwikila Health Centre in the Central Province has being serving patients under a makeshift canvas tent.
The health centre has gone under a major renovation late last year and since then all health services was done outside of the health centre, under a canvas tent.
Sister-In-Charge, Anna Atop said the renovation was already completed, however the refurbished health center is yet to be opened for use.
“I do not know what the delay is, it’s probably with the Provincial Health Authority, but then we can’t continue like this because it’s affecting our service to the sick populace”, said Sister Anna.
She said the hold up in reopening the health centre has also affected their in-patient service.
“We cannot admit very sick patients because there is no admission ward at this time”, said Sister Anna.
“We either send them home to care for themselves at home and come back for review or we refer them to Port Moresby General Hospital or neighbouring health centres depending on the nature of their sicknesses”,she said.
Sister Anna also claims that probably because of the delay in opening the health centre, there is a halt in receiving their medical supplies.
“It’s almost a year now and we have not received any new medical supplies and we are very low on all medical supplies including the basic drugs”, stated Sister Anna.
All these delays are very much affecting the sick people here from adults to the babies.
Sister Anna also mentioned that the canvas tent they are operating under has weathered from the rain and sun.
“During rainy season water is dripping down from the canvas holes and with strong wind and hot sun now the canvas is about to break apart into pieces.”
Sister Anna is now calling on the Provincial Health Authority to fast track processes and clear whatever the holdups are and open the health centre as soon as possible because the delays is causing many lives to suffer.