The Porebada Community Clinc in Central province has received timely assistance from ExxonMobil PNG (EMPNG) to continue its work of providing basic health care services to the Porebada community and its surrounding communities.
ExxonMobil PNG stated that under its Volunteer Program they have provided much needed projects to the impacted communities of the PNG LNG Project.
“Under this Volunteer Program ExxonMobil built and donated a couple of cupboards, shelves and sitting benches to the Porebada Community Clinic, which was something the clinic needed,” EMPNG said.
Porebada Community Clinic Sister in-Charge Sr. Sarah Otma said in the clinic storeroom, there is much space to put their medical supplies, and they usually put boxes on top of each to make space for storage.
“We requested cupboards, shelves and benches and ExxonMobil has come on board to donate to the clinic with these needs, and it is very good because it will help us store our medical supplies.
Currently our medical supplies are on the floor and our patients are also sitting on the floor waiting to be served. Now with the donation from ExxonMobil to the clinic, I am very happy, and it will help us a lot as the cupboards and shelves will be used to store our medicines properly and now our patients can sit properly and wait to be served,” Sr. Sarah said.
She added that one of the many challenges that they face every day is to access clean water and power.
“We see about 40-50 patients per day and when the power is out, it affects our work because sometimes we need to operate a few medical equipment with power like a nebulizer but when the power is out, we will have to refer patients.
Water supply is another issue, and any clinic or hospital needs water to operate. Sometimes the Central Provincial Health Authority (CPHA) provides water for us, but most days we depend on rainwater.
Why I say we need water to operate a clinic is for example, when a pregnant lady gives birth, she will need water to wash, when a patient is very sick, he or she will need water to drink and wash. We have good facilities here, but the problem is water and power,” she said.
Sr. Sarah added that they are truly grateful that ExxonMobil has been assisting them with the much-needed equipment they need, and it will contribute positively to their work of providing basic healthcare to their patients.