THE soon-to-be completed National Referral Hospital (NRH) Comprehensive Medical Centre will focus on providing sub-specialist care in the medicinal branches of cardiology, renal and urology, according to the NRH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr George Malefoasi.
While, Dr Malefoasi told Solomon Star that there will be more information provided on the Comprehensive Medical Centre ahead of its opening, he said the centre was built to deal with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) of the ‘heart, kidney and prostate’ which are high in Solomon Islands.
“The three common issues it is built to address the three NCDs that are high here – cardiovascular, renal and prostate diseases.
“The Comprehensive Medical Centre will provide therapeutic treatment for heart problems.
“It can also pick up early when someone has a heart problem and ensure early treatment.
“It can also detect kidney failure at an early stage so that dialysis can be given to filter blood and waste and also it can address prostate and bladder issues.”
The hard part of the Comprehensive Medical Centre project is construction, which is ongoing and the soft part of it is the operational procedures, which we are putting together.
“Our medical teams are working together with the Chinese in going through the standard operation procedures.
“The current Chinese Medical Team at NRH will move to their dedicated specialist areas in the Comprehensive Medical Centre.
“We will also relocate current teams of national doctors who had sub-specialist training in the areas of focus by the Comprehensive Medical Centre.
“In terms of staffing, there will be new units but we will use our ongoing staff. Two years ago, when the CMT first came here, they have been training local staff.
“The important aspect of the centre is that we will have dedicated spaces for operation, for consultation and also dedicated beds for patients,” Dr Malefoasi said.
The NRH Comprehensive Medical Centre is one of the major projects funded by the Government of the People’s Republic of China since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Solomon Islands and China in September 2019.
The Comprehensive Medical Centre is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
