The Honourable Bruno Leingkone, Minister of Health, and Australia’s High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Her Excellency Ms Heidi Bootle, travelled to Sanma Province this week to open a new Health Centre on Malo Island. Community leaders from Sanma province, including Member of Parliament for Malo and Aore constituency, Honourable Wesly Rasu, Chief John Vutilolo and senior officials from the Ministry of Health, including Director General, Russel Tamata, participated in the event.
In April 2020, the northern provinces of Vanuatu were severely hit by category five Tropical Cyclone Harold, which caused widespread damage to critical infrastructure including Avunatari Health Centre on Malo Island. The Ministry of Health requested support from the Australian Government to rebuild this facility under the joint Tropical Cyclone Harold Recovery Program.
During the event, Minister Leingkone and High Commissioner Bootle announced that the reconstruction of Avunatari Health Centre will enable health workers to better deliver services to over 11 thousand people on Malo Island.
“ What we have come to witness today it show’s the Government commitment especially with the decentralisation policy, said Minister of Health, Hon. Bruno Leingkone.
“Our health partnership is helping improve local health services in the provinces so that everyone has access to quality primary care. It is also supporting the local economy with local employment opportunities” said Australia’s High Commissioner to Vanuatu, H.E. Heidi Bootle.
The climate-resilient buildings, which include a new medical building and new staff housing, are in compliance with the Ministry of Health’s building standards that require access for people with disabilities and are able to withstand category 5 cyclones.
Moreover, the reconstruction of this Health Centre provided job opportunities to 20 niVanuatu individuals mostly from Malo.
“I wish to acknowledge Australian Government for their ongoing support technical and financial support to build standard health facilities which reflects the Ministry of Health activity plan ” said Minister of Health, Hon. Bruno Leingkone.
Through our partnership we have also supplied Avunatari Health Centre with new medical equipment. Supplies included bedpans, crutches for adults and children, delivery forceps, weighing scales for newborns, portable LED examination lights, portable stretcher beds, an oxygen concentrator, oxygen cylinder, oxygen flow meter, pulse meter, stethoscopes, and chilled mobile vaccine carrier boxes.
“I would like to commend all of our health workers for responding to COVID-19 with so much dedication and professionalism. I am delighted that these achievements provide critical support to local health services,” said High Commissioner Bootle.
Vanuatu and Australia have a longstanding health partnership to improve health outcomes across the country. Together, and with support from other development partners including the World Health Organisation (WHO), other United Nations organisations and New Zealand, we have successfully responded to COVID-19, eliminated malaria in the province of Tafea, increased immunisation rates nation-wide, and supported the delivery of emergency health services in times of crisis.