New Community Health Post for Komoli

 

SPSN Harry Gubala Hands over the scissors to Mr Tapoi Natili while Mr George Epei-Deputy Health Advisor for Southern Highlands Province looks on. 

 By LYDIA KAIA

For generations the remote community of Komoli in the Southern Highland’s Imbonggu District has struggled with poor access to health care.

Lack of even the most rudimentary local health amenities combined with a challenging geographic location has meant that over the years almost every villager has suffered somie sort of preventable and un-necessary loss. This includes all-too-many women and babies dying from complications in childbirth and children under the age of five dying from easily curable diseases.

Now with the opening of a new community health post on April 27, 2014, courtesy of the Australian Government, this small community can start to benefit from a fundamental right that most of us take for granted; access to basic medical relief and simple health care.

Lyn Tamo is the mother of three-year-old Lina and she has experienced the hardships that the absence of health care can bring.

She tells me stories of how women, children and the elderly have often succumbed to sickness or injuries during the trip to the hospital or while waiting for help to arrive. Many times those who are too frail are carried for hours on a homemade stretchers made of old rice bags.

“Haus sik em long we, na mipela stap long we long main highway olsem na mipela save panim hevi long kisim ol manmeri na pikinini go hariap long hausik. Olsem mi yet wanpela taim pik bin kaikai han bilong gal bilong me na em bin sik nogut tru na lewa bilong mi bin buruk stret bikos mi no bin inap long karim em igo long haus sik hariap. Tasol nau em haus sik i kam stap klostu pinis na mi bilip olsem em bai daunim sampela bilong ol dispela hevi na mi laik tok tenku long Austalia“ said Lyn

(“Our nearest health centre is far away made even more difficult with our village located away from the main highway which is why it is often difficult to get medical attention quickly. For me, I remember one time my daughter (Lina) was bitten by a pig and she fell so ill, I felt completely hopeless and distressed that I just couldn’t take her to the health centre quickly. But today with this health centre right near our door step, we know our troubles will be solved and we are thankful to Australia.”)

The new health post was partially funded by the Australia Government through the SPSN Small Community Grant Scheme (K69,300 to the Komoli Community Group). But, just as importantly, this is a community self-help project.

The people themselves identified the need, organised themselves and worked together to build three buildings; one to serve as the health post, one as the community health workers residence and one as a kitchen. The community put together resources – cash, materials, labour, food and undertook all construction themselves. Not surprisingly, they feel a great sense of ownership and pride in the final achievement.

Last time I visited the project, men, women and children were working together, using sticks and spades to dig soil while women and children carried soil using old bags of rice tied to sticks. Despite the lack of proper tools, the commitment and determination was obvious.

Chairman of the community group, Stephen Tamo beams with pride as he tells me: “The building will increase the number of people receiving medical treatment within the communities, decrease infant and child mortality rates in the community. There will also be a decrease in the number of women dying in child birth.”

Mr George Epei - Deputy Heath Advisor for Southern Highlands Province - who officiated the opening of the facility committed the Southern Highlands Department of Health to providing a health worker who will be stationed at Komoli. The department will also include the new Komoli Health Care Facility in the provincial health plan and is also promised to assist in the provision of medicines, equipment and other supplies.

“This is the sort of collaborative process SPSN loves to help, where a community need to be backed up by commitment and determination; and with government cooperation and support can turn a relatively small amount of Australian tax payers money into a meaningful initiative which changes lives for the better in Papua New Guinea”, said Harry Gubala, SPSN’s Field Program Coordinator.