JAPANESE mining giants Sumitomo Solomon Ltd yesterday donated dengue fever test kit to the National Referral Hospital.
The donation comes after the company learned of media reports of 15 new dengue cases in Gizo, Western Province.
Sumitomo’s managing director Yoritoshi Ochi said the donation was timely.
“I am pleased indeed to donate this Dengue Fever Test Kit to the National Referral Hospital,” he said.
Mr Ochi said he also noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicated that Solomon Islands is still in the “dengue season” so that means “we are not out of the woods yet as far as dengue is concerned”.
He said this Dengue Test Kit is able to detect dengue fever immediately once a serum is obtained.
“Therefore, I hope this donation will be able to speed up the diagnoses of dengue here in Honiara and, perhaps, in other parts of Solomon Islands, such as Gizo.”
Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd undertakes its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in countries and communities it operates in seriously.
“One of the key aspects of our CSR is sustainable co-existence with society and the global environment,” Mr Ochi said.
The company is also assisting Honiara Town Council to support their “Stop Malaria Campaign”.
Mr Ochi said although the assistance to the city council deals with malaria, dengue has similar breeding cycles and characteristics as malaria.
“Our assistance to the council will be to supply posters for its ‘Stop Malaria Campaign’.
“I hope the donation will be put into good use to diagnose dengue and help save lives in this country.”
Present at the handing over ceremony are the Chief Executive Officer (Ag) of the National Referral Hospital, Dr Roger Maraka, aHead of the Medical Laboratory Alfred Dofai and staff.
By ELLIOT DAWEA
