A partnership between ExxonMobil PNG and the Evangelical Church of Papua New Guinea (ECPNG) is helping to rebuild a number of earthquake-impacted health centres in PNG LNG project areas in Hela Province.
Through the partnership between ExxonMobil PNG and ECPNG, the Mananda sub health centre recently reopened its doors to the community of Mananda in the Komo region.
Staff at Mananda are once again providing outpatient services, inpatients wards, antenatal and postnatal care as well as volunteering counselling and testing (VCT) of HIV & AIDS.
With a beaming smile on her face, Sister-in-Charge of the Mananda sub-health centre, Sister Betty Maga, offered her thanks to ExxonMobil PNG for their new clinic.
“With this new building, we will be able to bring back to the people of this community our normal health service,” she said.
Sr Maga said this is not the first time that ExxonMobil PNG has come to the aid of Mananda sub-health centre. She said the company had donated delivery sets, solar torches, food and tools right after the devastating earthquake disrupted their services.
ExxonMobil PNG Senior Field Superintendent, Ken Musante, said with the opening of the new building at Mananda, patients will no longer have to walk long distances or travel to Tari for basic health care.
“Gradually we are seeing communities reestablish themselves as vital health and education services are restored and agriculture and livelihoods are reinstated. It takes time to rebuild from such a devastating event but we are committed to helping our neighbors for the long term.”
Rural health clinics in the Highlands of PNG were significantly impacted in the February 2018 earthquake, many having to close after suffering extensive damage to their buildings.
Other infrastructure projects ExxonMobil PNG is working on includes a new staff house and extension to the waiting area for the Para sub-health centre and construction of a new sub-health centre at Juni in Hela Province.