Honiara : 1 February 2017
Letter to the Editor, Solomon Star and Island Sun Newspapers.
Your readers will be aware of my deep concern after learning that 7000 people in Isabel Province are denied access to health care because of the closing of the Tatamba Clinic.
I have written to try and get financial aid from the Canadian Government to rebuild the clinic and to construct two houses for resident nursing staff.
Today, I was advised by a representative of the Canada Fund, based in Australia, that the selection process for projects to be completed between 2016 and February 2017 was closed but told I will be informed should further information on funding projects become available.
Should the Canada Fund eventually be able to aid the work needed to re-establish the Tatamba Clinic some local contribution to the re-building project would be needed.
It appears to be the case that no funding has been allocated for the rehabilitation of the Tatamba Clinic since 2014 under the Rural Development Programme (Phase one), but some 30 other ongoing and completed RDF projects did get official approval.
I find it quite difficult to reconcile that 7000 people have been excluded from accessing medical care and believe it is necessary to call upon the Isabel community and Solomon Islanders’ and donors of good heart and with charitable means to help the ongoing and quite unsatisfactory situation.
I request that an appeal fund be created using a Solomon Island’s Bank in order that money might be donated to get the fund launched as soon as possible.
Will someone, please, initiate the opening of such a fund and then notify me of the banking details in order for deposits to be made in advance of any help that might be forthcoming from my approach to the Government of Canada.
I am prepared to contribute to such a fund as soon as I have the relevant details of the account name, account details and bank address.
If we, jointly, show a willingness and a commitment to help the people of the 4 wards in Isabel Province the sooner the dreadful situation that prevails relating to the complete lack of medical care the better it will be for the community currently at risk and denied, as I see it, of their basic human rights relating to medical care.
