MHMS and World Bank Joint visit to HGH and Noro Clinic arriving at Munda airport last week Friday. Team were accompanied by Director Health Western Province and Medical Superintendent HGH.
MHMS set to improve services at the Helena Goldie Hospital & Noro Clinic, with funding support from World Bank
Helena Goldie Hospital (HGH) and Noro Clinic, in Western Province, are among the health facilities identified by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) for increased investment to improve health care and services under the World Bank financed COVID-19 Emergency Response Project. The Project, USD13 Million in financing, is currently being implemented by the MHMS via its Project Management Unit as part of enhancing capacities and capabilities to respond more effectively to COVID-19 and future outbreaks of diseases and infections as well as strengthening the health system.
In HGH, the project will invest in renovations of the general ward, operating theatre and the labour ward as well as construction of a new isolation unit and provision of new generator set. In addition, a brand-new Toyota Landcruiser and a 60-hose powered outboard engine and Ray boat to support with the hospital’s logistics have already been procured and delivered to the hospital. For Noro clinic, the project will procure and install a new incinerator to safely dispose of medical waste.
With significant investments and projects to deliver on in the province, a joint visit by the Ministry of Health and the World Bank was undertaken over the weekend. This visit enabled the team to meet, interact and raise awareness around the project investments to the Executive of the Uniting Church of Solomon Islands (UCSI) who is an important key stakeholder to the implementation on the improvement of HGH, staff and patients of HGH and Noro clinic including the Noro town authorities, president and councillors.
The site visit enabled the team to listen to frontline health workers and patients including community members on their concerns and experiences with the health service and care provided at these facilities and also to see first-hand the status of these facilities.
Throughout the visit and meetings Health Permanent Secretary (PS) Mrs Pauline McNeil highlighted the Ministry’s commitment in implementing the Role Delineation Policy and its goal of ensuring that improved quality and expanded health care services are brought closer to the people where they live. PS highlighted that Munda and Noro serves tens of thousands of people within their catchment area including the nearby islands and villages and the health needs of the population are growing, hence it is only fitting these facilities are improved particularly at Helena Goldie Hospital as it is the closed referral hospital for communities around Munda, Noro, North New Georgia, Rendova and even Marovo.
Dr Wayne J. Irava, Health Specialist at the World Bank Solomon Islands Office and Mr. Netsanet Workie, Senior Health Economist, based at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington D.C United States who were also part of the joint visit expressed the Bank’s pleasure to be funding and providing technical support to this important project to support the country’s emergency response to COVID-19 community transmission, prepare for future outbreaks and diseases, and invest in health system strengthening.
Representatives of the UCSI, Mr. Nichole Bird, Human Resource Officer, and Mr Eddie Pratt, UCSI Assembly Treasurer, both expressed on behalf of the UCSI Moderator and assembly office the excitement to receive the support announced by the visiting team which they said will go long way into serving the health needs of those within the hospital’s catchment area including new visitors with the expected increase in tourism in the area.
President of Noro Township Mr. Fred Naphtalae and his officials also welcomed the proposed installation of a new medical waste incinerator. “Given new developments taking place in our town, the growing population, also due to migration from other parts of the province and other provinces for work, the new incinerator will surely ensure all medical wastes are safely disposed of, thus protecting our population against health risks.” He assured their support to the project to ensure the objectives come to fruition and to future support in the health sector.
Noro clinic nurse, Slessor Fairií, explained to the visiting team that throughout the COVID-19 community transmission, their medical waste was disposed of only few meters away from the clinic, posing risks of spread of infection even though their primary goal was to stop the spread. “There was no option for us but to use the open pit close to the clinic. This proposed new incinerator will enable us to carry out our job more effectively in preventing spread of sickness thus protecting both staff and patients in future outbreaks as well as in normal times”.
On the final day of visit, the team visited the HGH where they handed over key of the hospital’s new outboard motor engines including all safety equipment and the ray boat to the HGH Medical Superintendent Dr Hendrick Kaniki.
The handing over was followed by visit to the hospital’s general ward, birthing room, labour and children’s ward including the operating theatre and generator-set house which will all be refurbished and upgraded. The proposed site for the new isolation unit was also visited. The visiting teams interacted with staff and patients and listened to their experiences while conveying the support that has been set in motion.
Mr. Nichole Bird, Human Resource Officer Uniting Church of Solomon Islands welcoming the visiting and sharing brief remarks around support to be received from the MHMS with funding support from WB.
Mr. Netsanet Workie, Senior Health Economist, based at the World Bank’s Headquarter in Washington D.C United States giving brief remarks on the support by the Bank to HGH and Noro Clinic and overall funding support.
Group photo of visiting team (MHMS & WB) with the President of Noro Town Mr. Fred Naphtalae and his clerk and Noro council officials.
Noro town president Mr Fred Napthalae giving brief remarks during a lunch with the visiting team.
Dr Dickson Boara Western Province Health Director delivering brief remarks acknowledging Noro town President for his assurance to support health projects and MHMS and WB for the project.
Dr Wayne J. Irava, Health Specialist at the World Bank Solomon Islands Office delivering brief remarks to Noro Town President and his delegation at the luncheon.
Visiting team also met up with Noro Environmental Health team in Noro on their way to Noro clinic.
Noro Clinic
Slessor Fairií, Senior nurse at the Noro Clinic sharing their experience to the visiting them on how they had to use the open pit for disposing medical wastes and the associated risks.
Noro clinic open pit used to dispose of medical waste. Soon will no longer be used after new incinerator is installed.
Jonathan Bisili, Infrastructure officer, MHMS Project Management Unit, showing where the new incinerator will be located.
Health Permanent Secretary Mrs Pauline McNeil hands over keys to the new Hendrick Kaniki
Dr Hendrick Kaniki and fellow Doctor Colleague working at HGH welcomed the visiting team at the General Outpatient ward as the team commenced their tour of the hospital.
In visiting the general outpatient ward marked for refurbishment, Health PS also held brief chats with the patients. Patient face in photo blurred for confidentiality purposes.
Health Permanent Secretary and the visiting team also visited the Children Ward, interacting with both nurses, child patients and their parents and guardians on the ward facilities, services, etc.
HGH Medical Superintendent Dr Hendrick Kaniki and nurses at the birthing room talked of a number of issues currently being expressed that requires urgent attention. The visiting team acknowledged issues raised and assured on work to address them is in progress
HGH Operation theatre visited. This will also be refurbished
HGH nursing station
Very old gen-set that is still being used by HGH and will be replaced soon as part of the activity to improve HGH.
Keys to the new Toyota Land cruiser for Helena Goldie Hospital handed over to Dr Hendrick Kaniki HGH Medical Superintendent by PS Health Mrs Pauline McNeil
-MHMS Press