Today, I wrote and circulated news about the arrival of the US Mercy Hospital ship having arrived in Honiara waters and available to offer medical assistance to local services in the health sector and to the NRH.
I very much hope the needs and health service requirements of the local disability community will be taken into consideration and the PWDSI office and staff brought into liaison with the ship and the services that can be made available to local disabled people.
I know the office of PWDSI greatly needs first aid kits, first aid over the counter medicines, bandages, mobility aids, reading glasses, and is very much in need for scanning services to check disabled persons for early signs of disease such as cancer, including the cancers most effecting women, but also prostate cancer screening with PSA testing, heart disease and lung and liver disease issues; all such scanning requirements presently unavailable to the population in the Solomon Islands.
It is my plea that this very welcome visit of the US hospital ship will not exclude the very real needs for medical screening and health advice for the local disabled community and that the ships doctors, specialist and the captain of the ship will soon reach out to the office of the PWDSI office to set up appointments and give help.
I again say how I welcome the presence of the US medical ship and look forward to learning of the practical medical assistance rendered to the Honiara and nearby communities
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
