REMOTE HEALTH CENTER THANKFUL FOR ROAD LINKS

By Benjamin KOITAKA

MAGARIDA Station is located off the Coast of Abau district in Central, bordering with Milne Bay, which usually itemized as one of the far reachable places in the province, due to its proximity to reach basic government services, the remoteness, terrains and topography, and unforgivable weather patterns, apart from other Central districts like Rigo and Goilala.

And their only means of transport is by sea and this important maritime knowledge has been passed on from generations and as long as these unfortunate people of the Amazon Bay Local Level Government live and survived through these years.

Coming to the country’s capital or accessing the township of Alotau of Milne Bay, was total struggle, loss of live, difficulties and navigating the best weather patterns and maritime knowledge to get to the basic services.

Absolute isolated in having access to basic Education, Health and government services due to the harsh conditions of the nature, however, credit to Connect PNG program of the Government to finally make their long-time dreams come true by finally connecting the missing links and open up the roads for these people of Abau and greater Central to have access to better services.

The Department of Works and Highways launch the second Southern Region Corridor, mainly connecting the provinces of Milne Bay, Central, National Capital District and Gulf and that will undeniably add value to people’s lives and change the way of everyday living.

Working at the such remotest parts of the country, saving lives and treating patients, and dealing with village people are four hardworking and committed nursing officers, serving more than 15 000 people of the rural Amazon Bay LLG.

Serving at the remote Iruna Health Centre at the Magarida Station is Community Health Worker Lucas Arodi and his wife Marie Benoma.

Both were given the opportunity to express themselves and highlight their challenges as the health officers, working and living at the rural areas in the district, digesting the daily struggles due to lack of drugs, equipment, transport systems, prescribing medicines, dealing with mothers and children, and helping mothers deliver babies (labour) with the available resource and skills.

“Iruna Health Center is the only facility that serving more than 15 000 people of the Amazon Bay, from Gadaisu to Garava,” Officer-In-Charge Arodi told FM100 News at the Magarida station, last week Sunday during the launching of the missing links between Central and Milne Bay provinces by Department of Works and Highways, under the “Connect PNG” program.

“We face a lot of struggles here because this is the only facility that serving the entire population.

“Our first problems are mothers in labour and delivery.

“Many a times, mothers having difficulties in delivery, we struggle to take them to Alotau and also to Kupiano.

“Bad weather, no road links, means mothers loss lives.

“But we try our best to take them to Alotau, as it is the only shortest way, we take them out.”

Arodi further stated that snake-bites, doing the immunization campaign and taking the medical supplies to the centre are some of the major setbacks.

“The second one is bringing in medical supplies, from Port Moresby, it takes a lot of time.

“The third is the snake bite disease that is very common here because of the environment, it is very common and victims can’t be transported to Port Moresby or Alotau.

“Many of times, we lost our patients.

“The fourth is the immunization campaigns, because we are facing challenges taking the immunizations out and wider to the mountains and coastlines.

Community Health Worker Arodi and his wife Benoma thanked the government for the initiative to link the major missing links.

“This links will help us a lot.

“Thankyou to Connect PNG because it will serve our problems and it will help us a lot and in big ways,” both stated, while smiling.