As COVID-19 surged in Makira Province, Naharahau Clinic in East Makira has been without a nurse for months now.
The only nurse at the area health center who was said to be on annual leave has not returned after his short holiday since December last year.
Naharahau community elder, Hipolite Bii said, this is a serious issue as COVID-19 community transmission in Makira Province is also on the rise.
“Naharahau community itself has recorded more than 30 positive COVID-19 Cases recently. This is serious and the fact that there’s no nurse to keep the community is too risky. It puts lives at stake”
He called on Makira Provincial Health Authorities to immediately recall or replace the nurse at the clinic.
“There should always be reserved nurses to relieve those taking their leave. But sadly, that’s not the case here. We’re always neglected under the guise of annual leave. This is not the first time for this kind to happen here.”
He added, they are fortunate to have few retired nurses in the community who were always forced to attend to emergency medical situations.
“This is simply not right. They were not paid for this and we always forced them to do work against their will.”
The clinic is not only without a medical practitioner, rather it’s been a run down facility built by the Japanese government under the grassroot project.
When this report was established, there were few youths who voluntarily took initiative to repair the rundown facility.
There are few sick elderly in the community currently undergoing home treatment with assistance from few retired nurses in the community.
Unfortunately, one of the sick elderly women who has been battling with diabetes had passed on this morning in her home.
Few mothers spoken to said they have to attend postnatal clinics at Narame and Karie clinics which were equidistant of around 10 kilometers away East and West of Naharahau clinic.
One mother spoke while carrying her infant on the road to Karie clinic, Maria Kabagi said, “We have no option, but to walk kilometers for medical attention.”
“Kirakira Hospital is too far, and too costly for rural women like me. It’s better to walk and save my kids’ lives. I valued my children and never counted the steps I took, to cross the rivers, to trod the rocks and reefs along the coast, and to climb the mountains. I lived up here on the mountain. Yes, it’s indeed too far, but we have to do it. No option!” she added.
A retired nurse spoken to, Lawrencia Kagè said, the clinic is in dire need of improvement.
“You can see for yourself, the dire need for improved facilities here. It’s indeed a sad situation. The rundown facilities, lack of medical practitioners for months now, and Covid-19 situation here worsened it.”
She added, she is volunteered stepping in to attend sick people at their homes to only provide first aid in emergency situations.
“You can see here, I am treating a diabetic patient at home. She is severely ill.”
Meanwhile, Makira Provincial Health Director John Harara said, the nursing officer manning the clinic was on holiday and should have resumed duties months ago.
“He was on leave since December and we were yet to get information why he failed to resume his duties.
His actions deemed scrutiny and would result in disciplinary actions against him.”
Makira Provincial Survilience officer Robert Kasia said, Naharahau clinic and its surrounding communities alone has recorded more than Covid-19 positive cases in recent weeks.
Most cases have since recovered.
Makira Province has recorded a total of more than a thousand cases with only four deaths so far.
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Rising Tide 