The people of Ward 14 in the Salamaua Local Level Government (LLG) in Morobe province, have welcomed the official reopening of the Buakap Clinic and Community Health Worker (CHW) house by the Huon Gulf Member of Parliament (MP) and Minister for Community Development, Youths and Religion, Jason Peter.
The clinic, which was originally donated by Lions Club International in 1987, had fallen into disrepair and was closed in 2021, leaving surrounding communities without access to basic healthcare services.
Through funding support from the Huon Gulf District Development Authority (HGD- DDA), the clinic and CHW house underwent rehabilitation and maintenance at a total cost of K100,000.
The restoration project also included the extension of additional health service facilities such as a Labour Ward, Tuberculosis (TB) Wing, and an HIV & AIDS Wing to improve healthcare delivery for people living in the area.
Speaking during the reopening ceremony, Jason Peter repeated his commitment to strengthening rural health services throughout Huon Gulf District, saying healthcare remains one of the district’s top priorities.
“This clinic will now continue serving our people and ensure that mothers, children and families have access to proper healthcare services closer to home.”
Team Present Manager for Salamaua LLG, Mr. Cliff Wembivong, thanked the HGD- DDA for restoring the facility and urged communities in Buakap and surrounding villages to take ownership of the clinic by maintaining and protecting it for future generations.
HGD Health Manager Mr. Pendeck Sitong also announced that a new nursing officer will soon be deployed to support the current CHW officer in delivering healthcare services to the communities of Tabola, Wamasu, Asini, Buakap and nearby inland wards.
In support of the additional staffing, the MP also committed funding towards the construction of a new health officer’s house to accommodate the incoming nursing officer.
The reopening of the Buakap Clinic marks another milestone under the HGD-DDA Bottom-Up Planning and rural service delivery program, which aims to restore and improve essential government services in remote communities across the Huon Gulf District.
