Tulagi Hospital Unveils Major Renovation, Enhancing Healthcare Services for Central Islands Province

By Sharon Nanau 

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services and World Bank on Friday launched the Tulagi Hospital Renovation Project in Central Islands Province.

The much-needed renovation, funded by the World Bank at a cost of SBD9.6 million dollars marks the first major upgrade of the hospital in over 20 years.

In his remarks at the project launching Minster of Health and Medical Services Dr Paul Bosawai thanked the World Bank, and all involved in ensuring the successful completion of the hospital renovation project.

He said the completion of the hospital renovation project includes major upgrades that will enhance service delivery and support to health workers to enable them to perform their duties more effectively.

“We are here to celebrate another breaking through of the cooperation and working relationship between the key government ministries and our donor bilateral partners, our multilateral partners, notably the World Bank and the private sector. It is to be noted that under this project there are upgrades in the services to be delivered, an expanded operating theater, enabling more advanced surgical procedures, a fully equipped medical laboratory and medical imaging unit, improving diagnostic capabilities, a dedicated pediatric ward, ensuring specialized care for our children which are the future of this province and this constituency. An isolation ward for infectious disease, enabling our ability to respond to health emergency and as we experienced in the past, which is the COVID-19,” he said.

World Bank Representative Michael Mike said they are committed to work with the Solomon Islands Government in improving its health system.

He said the Tulagi Hospital Renovation Project was one of the best performing health projects which they’ve funded in the pacific.

“World Bank is always here to support. I want to extend our deepest gratitude to the senior executive of the Ministry of Health. This project was run by them in the first six months when there was no project management unit and right after that, there was a COVID breakdown, and a lockdown and the project came in one year and in several very difficult times. But the executive, they stand tall, ensure that there is a proper system in place and a foundation that was set before the project management unit,” he said.

Central Islands Province Premier Hon Michael Salini in acknowledging the project’s completion said his government will continue to support the national government in delivering health services in the province.

He also called on the people of Tulagi to take ownership of the hospital.

“The partnership between the national government, the World Bank, the contractor, and the provincial government has been strong throughout the duration of the project. To my good people of Central Province, having such a project like this doesn’t come very often. That is why I’m calling on all of us to look after this beautiful facility. I can assure everyone there will be strict rules enforced, and security will be provided. I call on all my people to respect the rules and the security measures applied in this facility,” he said.

In an interview with SIBC news Tulagi Hospital Director of Nursing Albert Vure explains the upgraded services at the hospital are expected to reduce the need for referrals to the National Referral Hospital in Honiara.

“The services to be provided in the hospital now answers to our calls previously we had problems with the referral system especially when we do not have any specialist area located here. We must send patients to Honiara for special attention now this will no longer be the case, once the hospital is fully equipped, we can do x rays and laboratory tests here this will reduce our expenses,” he said.

Meanwhile Emily Pulo from Central Islands Province said she is happy to see the expansion of the hospital.

“We find it difficult accessing health services at the hospital given it limited size now seeing the expansion we are very happy as now we don’t have to travel to Honiara with our sick ones and also the increase in the number of health workers that will work here will cater to our health needs,” she said.

SIBC news understands the refurbishment work at the hospital took around 13 months to complete.

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