PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare was at Taro, Provincial Capital of Choiseul Province, with the Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Rod Hilton for the official handover of an Australian Government-funded fully equipped Laboratory to the province.
Prime Minister Sogavare, in his remarks, welcomed the Australian Funded Biomedical Lab as “another milestone and a demonstration of Australia’s continuous support to the health sector.”
He extended deep appreciation on behalf of Solomon Islands Government to Australia stating that with the establishment of this new lab, Choiseul people can now enjoy a full range of general hospital level laboratory services.
“Taro hospital is indebted to Australia right from its inception. Australian connection to Taro hospital goes some twenty years back when an Australian Dr Chris Miller was instrumental in Taro hospital and now through budget and the latest being the handing over of this brand-new medical laboratory,” he added.
Prime Minister elaborated that at the policy level, the upgrade is in line with the Ministry of Health & Medical Service’s (MHMS’s) Role Delineation Policy on laboratory services.
He expressed that having a well-functioning laboratory in such a location will help with early detection of disease outbreaks, cross border spread of diseases such as multi-drug resistant TB cases as well as improve the monitoring of patients with Non-Communicable Diseases (NDCs).
“Equally important, the new laboratory will help to build a resilient health system with the ever-present risk of natural disasters and climate change,” Prime Minister Sogavare added.
Prime Minister Sogavare also announced that the Taro Hospital will also be upgraded and that Australia is supporting MHMS with the detailed master plan and design for the new hospital which will commence soon.
(PM’S PRESS SECRETARIAT/SOLSTAR)
