SI Gov’t Appreciates Increased Funding

SI Gov’t Appreciates Increased 16-Million-Dollar Australian Funding For Tsunami Rehabilitation

The Government of Solomon Islands through the Ministry of Health and Medical Services sincerely thanked the Australian Government for an extra 16.5 million dollar assistance to rehabilitate health infrastructure in Tsunami stricken provinces in Solomon Islands.

Minister of Health and Medical Services Clay Forau formally conveyed his gratitude to Australian High Commissioner Peter Hooton during a ceremony in Honiara on Tuesday.

“I sincerely thanked AusAID for seeing it fit to contribute further to rehabilitate the damaged health infrastructure in the affected provinces,” Mr Forau said.

He said the restoration of necessary health infrastructure in the destructed Western and Choiseul provinces is essential for the provision of health services in the two provinces.

“These additional funds will go a long way into ensuring a healthy population in the affected areas who will then contribute to the overall economic development of Solomon Islands,” Mr Forau said.

The Minister said Australia is a long term development partner of Solomon Islands that helped Solomon Islands through both normal bilateral programs and emergency situations such as the April 2 Quake and Tsunami.

“AusAID must be congratulated for investing in the Solomon Islands health sector which is necessary for all citizens of the country,” he said. “The long term partnership between the two countries through the Ministry of health has indeed helped to maintain and further develop our health system”.

Mr Forau said his Ministry will ensure the money is spent for its intended purpose.

“We will ensure that the 52 affected health facilities are rehabilitated,” he said.

More than 10 clinics and health centers needs total rebuilding while the rest needs urgent renovation to put them back into operation.

Fifty two people were killed while thousands of homes and infrastructure were damaged during the April Quake and Tsunami.

ENDS

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