The only health post at the Mangem Care Centre remains closed. The health centre serves more than 5,000 displaced Manam Islanders. It’s been 3 years since the facility last served anyone.
Ward councilor for Warisi, Raynold Kauke, said the Islanders had been travelling to Bunabun or Mugil health post to seek medical attention.
However a land dispute between Bunabun land owners and the Manam settlers, has been preventing the settlers from traveling into Bunabun to access health services. The situation has made life difficult for the sick and those needing the services of a health worker.
Another Islander who asked to remain anonymous, said pregnant mothers have had so much difficulty in accessing a clinic for antenatal care, birthing, or taking their babies for check-up and immunization. He said they are scared of going to Bunabun because of the hostility surrounding the land dispute with the host village of the health centre.
The islander has called on leaders in the province and the government to come to their aid and address the issue with land owners. He stressed that their human rights to health care services and other basic needs, continues to be under constant threat and disregarded.
Councilor Kauke also said the government must look at the Manam Resettlement Act and make necessary changes. He says the law only suits those in authority, and does not address the needs of the displaced people of Manam living in Mangem, Potsdam and Asuramba care centres.
“The government needs to amend the law and add something regarding the time frame that they will resettle us to a new location. After looking through the law, I hardly find anything about the time when they will move us out of this care center to a new location. They are keeping us here and are benefiting a lot using our name, which is not good,” Kauke said.
(Pic Caption. The Health Post at Mangam Center that had been closed for almost two years. Picture courtesy of Sylvester Wemuru)