Health welcomes continued strong support from the Choiseul Provincial Government

Reassurance by the Choiseul Provincial Executive to support priority health areas for development in the province is very much welcomed by health.

Mr. Geoffrey Pakipota, Choiseul Provincial Secretary made this reassurance during a brief courtesy visit by the national health team deployed to Choiseul Province for health system strengthening with the province’s executive.

Mr Pakipota said that the province is delighted to learn of the health team deployment plans to make assessments, discuss, consult and hold the awareness around re-development of the Taro hospital and construction of the Wagina Area Health Centre level one (1).

“It is a reflection of the national governments through the Ministry of Health commitment and drive to see health services in the province improved, expanded and brought closer to the people. As such we are grateful towards the national government and the hardworking Ministry of Health team here in the province for these important undertakings”, said Pakipota.

The national health team were deployed to Shortlands late last week and over the weekend and have since then been making assessments of health facilities in the Shortlands, Western Province, including isolation and quarantine stations in an effort to identify gaps and areas for improvement with the facilities ahead of the reopening of the borders next month.

Yesterday the team arrived at Taro, Choiseul province meeting with provincial heatlh teams and the provinces executive and today and tomorrow will be spent visiting Sasamnuga health facility with final stop at Wagina, the Gilbertese setttlemnt in Choiseul for assessment and community awareness and engagement to support the construction of the community’s new Area Health Centre that is set to kick off soon.

The deployment was enabled by the World Bank funding support to assist health respond to COVID-19 and strengthen health systems.