It has been over two decades since I last served in the Solomon Islands and now with age I have succumbed to the deadly disease of advanced prostate cancer and have to visit a local hospital almost weekly for scans and any likely possible treatment.
I count myself lucky despite what I have written about my medical condition because the hospital I visit is a state of the art facility with modern equipment and professional consultants, doctors and nursing staff.
I wish the same good be true of the medical facilities in the Solomon Islands and what I wrote and illustrated recently about the Taro Hospital and Wagina clinic shocked me to the core.
Much is the same in the case of many of the rural health clinics and area health centres constructed in colonial days some 40 or 50 odd years ago. I have cited many particular instances in my writings for years but very little has changed for the better despite assurances from previous government administrations of fixing the concerns.
At the main referral hospital (NRH) in Honiara there has been much debate and criticism, particularly of late, about the state of the facility and services but also some important rccognition of the doctors and nursing personnel.
In 2013, after numerous alleged complaints about the poor service delivery at the National Referral Hospital, a Parliamentary Select Committee conducted a public inquiry into the matter.
Many people, including hospital executives and doctors, appeared before the committee and clearly spelled out why services at the hospital were not then up to standard.
A detailed report outlining the problems and how to address them was produced.
A Parliamentary inquiry into similar previous issues was conducted in 2009, but it found the situation has not been irreversibly addressed.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Solomon Islands most recently wrote to a local newspaper in Honiara in response to a statement by the CEO of the NRH, Dr.George Malefoasi, regarding earlier reported bed shortages at the hospital and other problems.
Mr.Wale went so far in his letter to say, and I quote with (some omissions).
The government had neglected the NRH for a very long time
“This is not just because of the diversion of resources to Covid-19 related work, but clear evidence of prolonged government neglect.
“How are we to expect provincial hospitals and rural health facilities, which are far removed from the daily gaze of the national government, to receive adequate attention?” the Opposition Leader questioned.
(Here one might well wish to consider the recent letter of mine relating to the Taro hospital and Wagina clinic)
He said the NRH CEO pointed out the acute bed shortage currently experienced at the Emergency Department, and the in-patient wards, with patients sleeping on the floor, a matter Hon. Wale said is just the tip of the ice-berg.
“There are far more serious problems at the NRH that have been neglected for so long.
The basic and most serious of these problems is the fact that clinical governance is almost non-existent.
Hon. Wale said, these are very serious concerns that the NRH and the Ministry of Health must immediately address, but that it points to inadequacies in nursing training as well.
Hon. Wale said given that this situation has been going on for such a long time, it is clear that the Ministry of Health is unable to deal with it.
“It seems they only see the obstacles and are unable to see solutions to the challenges. There is a sense of resignation on the part of the Ministry in dealing with the NRH issues there is a lot of talk, but little sustainable curative action," said Hon. Wale.
Hon. Wale calls on the Prime Minister to seek external help to study the challenges, and bottlenecks at NRH in the first instance, and recommend long-term solutions that must include not only quality infrastructure facilities, adequate equipment, and medical supplies, but must also include a robust modern clinical governance system.
He said many countries have come through similar development challenges in their healthcare systems, and it is important that we seek to benefit from their experiences. NRH can be and must be better than it is. Let’s be ambitious for NRH, said Hon. Wale. We owe it to our healthcare professionals who work there and also to the patients and the public to make NRH better.
End of modified quotes.
In late February this year, an Editorial piece in the Solomon Star newspaper alleged, and again I quote.
Up to six people, including younger ones, die every day from lifestyle diseases, an inpatient told the Sunday Star last week.
The inpatient care we once enjoyed is no longer here,” a patient said.
“You feel like you are no longer entitled to any care at all in this hospital. And there are people dying every day from diabetes and other lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure and so on,” the patient said.
“What the government may have ignored is the fact that COVID-19 is not here. We have not lost a single Solomon Islands national through COVID-19 and yet it is the biggest expenditure item in terms of finance and manpower resources,” the patient added.
“In the case of diabetes and other lifestyle diseases such heart and high blood pressure, we are losing up to six people a day – that is how serious lifestyle diseases are here at the National Referral Hospital,” the patient said.
“In the case of diabetes, some of us have lost a limb (a leg) or two. We have agreed to be operated on because we believe we would be rehabilitated. That is not happening.
“The biggest problem here is that the NRH does not seem to have a rehabilitation plan for us after such operation.”
.The NRH management (last week) issued a statement saying it had endorsed its Business Plan for 2021 and onwards in its meeting on Friday two weeks ago. The statement said the plan “incorporated priority infrastructures, clinical services deepening strategic actions, inpatient care improvements to include patients’ food, beddings, water and sanitation, and infection control facilities.”
“In terms of other health programs, we are constantly monitoring the delivery of programs and take appropriate steps to address any deficiencies or decline in health services delivery,” the statement said.
End of quote.
Comment
Would be appropriate now for the MHMS and the NRH to say just how far the Business Plan 2021 has progressed since it was announced.
What changes have been made to provide extra hospital beds, in clinical services and inpatient care facilities?
When will the gifted modular building I arranged and funded by the SFA, be put into use as a replacement Rehabilitation Workshop for the making and custom fitting of artificial limbs?
Does the NRH need extra high quality hospital beds which I can see delivered through my partner charity in New Zealand, ‘Take My Hands.’ for the cost of just the sea freight of a container of some 50 beds?
My concern for health care for Solomon Islander and especially for the needs of the disabled brought on by the loss of a limb has been more than a two-decade cause but with declining personal health I feel it will be for the likes of those who have the actual constitutional duty to bring to the attention of the government the failings I still concern myself about, albeit I will continue the causes for as long as I possibly can.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
