SOLOMON Islands Government has signed a deal with the Government of India in the area of health cooperation last week.
The Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Paul Popora Bosawai and the Indian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Shri Inbasekar Sundaramurthi signed this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which focused on health cooperation at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara.
Minister Dr Bosawai described the deal as an important milestone in the relationship between Solomon Islands and India.
“The MOU signed today reflects a deepening cooperation between our two countries. I believe this agreement will help to strengthen our health system and promote our shared goal towards achieving universal health coverage by improving access to essential medicines.
“Health care services are free for Solomon Islanders as the public health system is financed primarily by the [national] government and foreign aid.”
Minister Dr Bosawai added that since the population grows faster than the economy, the health budget could not keep up with increasing services demand.
He said the budget for drugs remained largely consistent since 2012, leaving the ordering of medicines and medical supplies to be based on the available budget instead of the increasing demand and this contributes to the running out of essential medicines and medical supplies in hospitals and clinics across the country in recent years.
Minister Dr Bosawai said, he hopes the MOU will provide an opportunity to access quality medicines and medical supplies at the cheapest prices and therefore, a cost-saving measure for Solomon Islands Government.
He said, he believes the MOU will also open other opportunities for medical staff for training.
Minister Dr Bosawai also took the opportunity to thank the Indian Government for its ongoing support to MHMS and also during emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which it provided 50,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines and helped protected the vulnerable population against the viral infection.
“I believe this special occasion today is the start of more meaningful engagement between our two countries going forward,” he added.
High Commissioner Sundaramurthi, in his remarks, stressed the importance of the MoU and how India can help Solomon Islands, particularly in the health sector.
“As you know, India is the largest provider of generic medicines in the world.
“You can’t blame the life of millions of human beings by producing something cheap and something unworthy. In India, we supply extremely cheap but quality medicines to common man,” he said.
High Commissioner Sundaramurthi said, India also produces medicines to the United States standard at far lesser costs.
He thanked Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and his government and the previous Prime Minister and current Finance Minister Manasseh Sogavare for their leadership, which helped to get this MOU signed.
“We are looking forward at the early stage that Solomon Islands get all the medicines under affordable quality medicines.
“We also looking at the signing of an MOU on health at training for local [Solomon Islands] doctors at Indian medical institutions and we can work with NRH on relevant trainings.
“India has a lot of medical expertise and India has some of the largest medical facilities and medical colleges in the world,” High Commissioner Sundaramurthi added.
By RAYMOND HULANGA
Solomon Star, Honiara.
