Solomon Islands prepares thousands of health workers for Covid-19

Regardless of the country’s covid-19 free ranking, the Solomon Islands Government is preparing thousands of health workers and boosting its health facilities in efforts to prevent covid-19 from the country.

Since the declaration of the State of Public Emergency by the Governor General on March 25, a total of 2,067 COVID-19 health advocators have been trained in all provinces around the country. 

There are also 179-trained National Referral Hospital (NRH) staff currently on roster for full activation around the clock, in which 22 personnel are triage doctors. 

The Government through the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) have also trained 50 isolation doctors and nurses and about 70 trained emergency departmental nurses.

The NRH is also equipped with the Solomon Islands Medical Assistance Team (SOLMAT) consisting of 9 staff on a monthly roster basis that are capable of being deployed at short notice if a case arises. 

Besides health personnel’s, the Government with donor support have established a 14-room quarantine home for medical staff.

“Despite our limited resources and manpower, we must applaud the Minister of Health and Medical Services and his entire team for doing a great job in setting up our COVID-19 facilities at the NRH,” Prime Minister Sogavare said in his nation-wide covid-19 address on Friday.

Sogavare has personally visited the NRH Monday last week where he had the opportunity to visit a number of COVID-19 facility sites at the Hospital including the National Health Emergency Operation Centre (NHEOC). 

The Emergency Operation Centre is the ‘engine room’ where all operations are controlled, coordinated, communicated and managed.