MP Mathew Wale wants SI health minister removed
Quoting the Solomon Star newspaper – 29 November 2018
“THE Minister for Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Dr Kaitu’u should be reassigned by the Prime Minister for neglecting and not demonstrating any sense of urgency about addressing the crisis in our health sector.
“Chairman for Bills and Legislation Committee and Member for Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga Mathew Wale uttered this in parliament, Wednesday.
“Mr Wale was contributing to the 2018 Supplementary Appropriation (No.2) Bill 2018 debate in the Parliament.
“We have a serious ongoing crisis in our health sector and there is no indication that the Government appreciates the gravity of the situation,” Mr Wale said.
“He added that the government its health minister’s approach to addressing the needs of our healthcare system can only be described as negligent.
“Mr Wale further stressed that the health minister does not demonstrate any sense of urgency about addressing any bottlenecks that contribute to this overall mismanagement of the healthcare system under his watch.
“And both Prime Ministers, both former and current accept this and let him continue the negligence.
“This is simply terrible governance,” Mr Wale uttered on the floor of the parliament.
“The Solomon Star understands the country’s health crisis have been widely talked about in the media and in the social media over the past months till now.
“Solomon Islands Medical Association (SIMA) in July this year made the call, as the shortage of medicines and consumables at the NRH has reached crisis point.
“However the Prime Minister Rick Hou and his health minister insist there is no crisis in the health system, as doctors continue to battle with months-long drugs and supply shortages.
“But Mr Wale said medicine shortages are but one aspect of the mismanagement of the country’s healthcare system.
“There is lack of basic equipment, work environment is a hazard to our health workers and the neglect of primary healthcare is increasing the pressure on health facilities and budget.
“In the meantime Non Communicable Diseases are on a very fast and dangerous rise,” Mr Wale said.
“He further exclaimed that the role of delineation policy is taking too long to be costed.
“However the government must not wait for the costing to be available before allocating adequate funding to the needs in the healthcare system.
“Government can and must start funding some of the urgent and desperate needs,” Mr Wale exclaimed yesterday.
“Mr Wale pointed out that when the medicines shortage hits the media headlines the government went into overdrive to bring it under control, when it no longer makes the headlines it is neglected.
“The government manages our healthcare system by responding to media not to the needs in the system.
“This is the most tragic situation as lives are being lost through preventable deaths and it seems the government does not care,” Mr Wale said.
“Mr Wale said weak and indecisive leadership is costing lives in preventable deaths.
“Who in leadership bears any leadership and accountability for this very sorry state of our healthcare system?” he questioned
“Meanwhile, the 2018 Supplementary Appropriation Bill (No.2) 2018 was passed in parliament after its third reading.”
Copyright @ 2018, Solomon Star news.
