When I read today in a local media report that villagers in the Bugotu District have called on responsible authorities to arrange any sort of relief supplies to their communities, I became much more aware of how the transmission of Covid must have an impact on communities in the more remote regions of the Solomon Islands, especially needing food supplies, medical supplies, even perhaps the most basic ones such as panadol, throat lozenges and maybe cough medicine, but because of their isolation feeling lonely, depressed and alone.
In respect of the Bugotu area, Chief and Catechist Jonas Nohe of Suva village in Bugotu Isabel has said that his community are now experiencing shortage of basic necessities like soap, matches and even food due to no ships to transport cargoes home.
He said in the community there is an outbreak of flu and people are getting really sick, but they also faced with problems that no nurse to man the clinic there.
He said there is a clinic at the near-by village but they cannot access that clinic due to the surrounding villages are currently on lockdown.
Chief Nohe said Suva is very close to Sepi where they had positive cases
“The people at Buala especially Health and authorities tend to forget about us, they should have provided a temporary nurse to man the clinic here if they care about the health of the people here Chief Nohe said
The Director Health for Isabel Province Dr Tony Quity said that they are planning to visit the communities sometimes this week.
However, Buala also is facing problems with fuel and medicine.
“We are currently having problems with our medicine stock and fuel as there are no vessels to transport home our stock and we are waiting on responsible authorities in Honiara.
“In regards to the nurse for Kalenga Clinic the nurse that is supposed to be posted to that clinic is currently stranded in Honiara and due to the lockdown at the Honiara emergency zone, we are not able to get our nurses home”, Dr Quity said.
I was glad to know that at least in respect of fresh food supplies, Solomon Air has been freighting food to several parts of the Solomon Islands and the National Disaster Operations Committee Livelihood Sector is implementing a mechanism that will ensure the safe delivery of fresh food and vegetables from outside the Honiara Emergency Zone into the city and vice versa.
I noted that it has been said, “Livelihood is a critical component of any public health emergency response from a food security and livelihood point of view. It ensures all people have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious foods to meet their dietary needs, boost immune system, and maintain their health to fight Covid-19 and other diseases.”
I do concern myself, however, because of the likely length and forecasted severity of the Covid pandemic, how essential and even basic medical supplies and needs will be met and I hope plans are in place.
Apart from food and medical needs, I think, too, of the elderly and seniors who, through being cut off, could suffer from depression.
Limiting social interaction can have an emotional, mental and physical toll with depression and anxiety, over a lengthy period causing cognitive and physical deterioration.
While loneliness – the subjective feeling of being alone – is a growing global concern for all groups, social isolation, defined as an objective lack of social contact with others, is a particular risk for older adults.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
