Maewo health center to open this month

A new health centre will open in north Maewo on 28 October, boosting disaster preparedness in the region and the quality of local medical services.

The Penama Public Health Manager, Markson Tabi, says the new Kerepei Health Centre will be able to assist over 2000 patients if an emergency such as a volcanic eruption occurs.

During the eruption of the Manaro Volcanoe on nearby Ambae Island in 2018, the Ambae population and their health workers moved to Maewo.

Mr Tabi says it was a priority for the Government to rebuild and improve the health centre so services could be provided if there was another volcanic eruption in the area.

He says the new health centre will be a safe environment even if natural disasters occur.

Mr Tabi says while the centre will boost disaster preparedness in the region, the Maewo community will benefit most from the new centre.

He says the centre will have more staff and better scanning and laboratory services than was previously available in north Maewo. The centre will also offer specialised services to pregnant women.

He says patients needing medical operations will still have to be transferred to the Northern Provincial Hospital in Luganville or the Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila.

The Australian Government provided over VT13 million for the rebuilding of the health centre through the Vanuatu Health Program.

Mr Tabi called on the contractor to complete the project on time so that it could be opened before the Australian High Commissioner, Sarah deZoeten’s term ends in November.