1 November 2022
The SI Minister of Health recently said “Scattered islands, growing population and consequently increasing demand for better health care services are amongst the many contributing factors to these challenges.”
He added, quote
The Minister for Health, Dr. Culwick Togamana highlighted that the need to reach the unreached in the Solomon Islands is an ongoing challenge for the government and the Ministry of Health.
These were the statements made at the recent “reaching the unreached” agenda at the WHO 73rd Western Pacific Region Committee meeting last week in Manila Philippines.
Dr Togamana explained that scattered islands, growing population and consequently increasing demand for better health care services are amongst the many contributing factors to these challenges.
“Solomon Islands larger population live in remote islands with no access to airports, and where ships would normally reach them only 3 to 6 times in a year. This makes the provision of health care and delivery of goods and social services challenging, let alone the high cost”, explained Dr Togamana.
The Health Minister said that the Solomon Islands noted in the draft Regional Framework for Reaching the Unreached in the Western Pacific (2022-2030) some of the reasons why certain proportion of the population may be unreached and the issues that could exacerbate or help mitigate the risks.
Referring to restrictions of movements for months as part of preventing spread of COVID-19 in the communities, Dr Togamana highlighted that these public health interventions though with good intentions can also affect people of low socio-economic status, children, people with chronic diseases and those with physical disabilities from accessing basic health care services.
The recent Covid pandemic demonstrated that misinformation or lack of correct information has contributed to preventing certain population from accessing effective public health interventions.
“Our COVID-19 vaccination rate for the target population on two doses is still below 60% and this is largely due to misinformation circulated by influential individuals and those in leadership positions and positions of influence”, stated Dr. Togamana.
The Health Minister said that despite these challenges, Solomon Islands remains committed to maintaining a free health care policy for its citizens despite the growing cost of service delivery.
The policy ensures a safety net for access to essential health services for the majority of Solomon Islanders who depend on the informal sector for their livelihood.
End of quote
Source: Press Release, Ministry of Health and Medical Services
Comment (1)
Similar concerns about the health needs of communities in the outer reaches of countries such as Fiji and Vanuatu have been met by visits of volunteer doctors, dentists and nurses travelling to those remote destinations on medical or mercy ships, such as the ones operated by “Sea Mercy” and the NZ vessel YWAM HKOA which most recently made a successful medical aid mission to Fiji, mission. I fully reported in one of my posts on Linkedin and circulated to the editors of local newspapers.
It might merely be hearsay but I am reliably informed both Sea Mercy and YWAM HKOA would be keen to assist the SIG and the MHMS with similar medical missions to attend and treat the isolated communities Dr Culwick define as the ‘unreached,” but in truth they are not and the assistance of medical mission vessels could be the answer.
Here is my letter I wrote about the voyage to Fiji of the YWAM HKOA in May this year.
Medical and dental services by ship to remote regions of the Solomon Islands
12 May 2022
I have long advocated for the SIG and MHMS to seek the aid of one or more of the medical and dental service ships in our region that sail to remote regions of our Pacific neighbours to carry out health check-ups, medical services, including surgery and provide dental treatment for community members.
One such ship is the YWAM KOHA that sails from New Zealand and is set to set sail to serve the Northern District of Fiji from August 6 through to October 15 this year.
Specifically the medical ship will focus on the isolated northeast part of Vanua Levu where outreaches will be conducted there and nearby.
The isolated Northern District has been hit hard by the consequences of COVID19. For the last two years, the pandemic has drained the limited resources of the Fijian Ministry of Health. Health services were put on hold creating a backlog of needs–making the timing of the YWAM KHOA vessel’s deployment very significant.
'The impact of the vessel continues to grow. To date, the ship's clinic has treated over 1,000 patients. This equates to more than $500,000 of dental services delivered at no cost to the patients. We are extremely grateful for the lives that have been touched by the clinic and for those who have partnered with us. Urgent dental needs are in every community. Working together we are bringing hope and practical aid to our neighbours."
Sources – Solomon Times Online and YWAM KHOA press release.
Comment. (2)
I really wish the SI/MHMS would seriously consider entering into a MoU to see the medical assistance vessels of Sea Mercy and YWAM KHOA to sail to the remote regions of the Solomon Islands and provide medical and dental services which I am sure are much needed by the communities residing in those isolated parts of the country.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
