Health concerns are growing in North Fly as communities struggle to access clean drinking water amid the ongoing dry conditions.

North Fly District Health Manager Rody Ukin says waterborne diseases have already been reported.

“Yes, we have waterborne diseases. In fact, we have reports of deaths linked to poor water hygiene and food.”

Ukin says there have also been reports of hospitalisation.

“One has died in hospital, a female, and another has been hospitalised and is slowly recovering. Those reports were from about three weeks ago.”

He says the Western Provincial Health Authority has responded with a catch-up immunisation campaign in affected areas.

“The Western Provincial Health Authority set up a quick catch-up immunisation campaign. They went to all the areas in North Fly and Middle Fly and carried out immunisation for children under one year. We received a very good report.”

Ukin says health authorities are also monitoring for possible disease outbreaks.

“There is a weekly surveillance program happening to report any outbreaks in health facilities or villages. That's what we have done so far.”

He says the district committee is also working to protect remaining water sources.

“The committee decided to try to maintain those areas and put a pipe through, and also put a little bit of concrete around them and fence them, so that the community can continue to access that water.”

Ukin says water quality testing is also important.

“In case the water may also be dirty, we need to test the water and make sure that the water is good.”

He says providing safe drinking water remains the immediate priority.

“Just to make sure that the community is drinking, we want to make sure that it's safe, and we want to build a little bit of a pipe so that they can have clean water.”