Of the 10 aid posts in a local level government (LLG) area of remote West Sepik, only three are in operation while the rest are closed because of a lack of funding, an official says.
“I’m supervising the aid post in the West Wape LLG, I have a total of 10 aid posts which are registered under the West Sepik Health Authority,” West Wape LLG aid posts supervisor Brady Neima told The National yesterday.
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| Students in East Sepik . Photo by PNG Education News |
“Currently, of the 10 aid posts, only three are operating, the other seven are not operating because of funding constraints and lack of manpower.”
He said this had been the case for about five years.
Neima said West Wapa had a population of over 20,000.
The aid posts situated in the wards were supposed to make basic healthcare accessible but with the majority out of operation, the burden had shifted to the three operating aid posts.
Neima said so far, Government funds for all health facilities in West Wapa had not been given apart from one or two which received funds in 2015.
He said the neglect by provincial health authorities was unfair.
Patients from the LLG are referred to the main health centre in Lumi, West Sepik, and then from Lumi, they are referred to Raihu, Vanimo or Wewak.
Due to lack of roads or roads which were in poor condition, transport between villages and the stations was difficult and another reason for the lack of service delivery in the area.
Neima could not confirm the statistics of certain cases and deaths in his LLG claiming that many go unreported because most of the aid post were closed.
The National / PNGHealthTips
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