MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Gallus
Australian health aid will save lives in the Solomons, the Parliamentary
Secretary for Foreign Affairas Mrs Chris Gallus said today at the Pitokoli
Health Clinic in the Solomon Islands.
'The health clinic, expected to be completed by November, has been funded by
the Australian Government's overseas aid program, with materials and labour
supplied by Solomon Islanders,' Mrs Gallus said.
'Once opened in November, the clinic will provide basic health services,
including maternity and malaria analysis and treatment of inpatients and
outpatients.
'The community of almost 2000 people that live in and around Pitokoli will
now have access to basic health services.'
'Once the health clinic is up and running we expect significant improvements
in the health of women and children.
'The clinic is being supported by the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and
will focus on maternal health, especially pregnancies and analysis of malaria
which is a severe problem,' Mrs Gallus said.
Mrs Gallus is in Honiara as part of a ministerial visit to see first hand
RAMSI's and Australia's development assistance to Solomon Islands.
Media contact:
Shane Fairlie (Office of Mrs Gallus) 02 6277 4840 or 0408
680 442
Jo Elsom (AusAID) 02 6206 4960 or 0412 804 489
Dominic Morice
(RAMSI, Honiara) (0011) 677 72160