Over 200 people treated in quake villages

Over 200 people have received medical treatment in five villages in the Highlands Region affected by the February 26 Earthquake.

The treatments have been carried out by Oil Search Limited since the earthquake struck six weeks ago.

The Company’s medics have covered Yalanda, Kekero, Huiya, Dodomona and Walagu villages attending to sick men, women and children.

Patients are being treated for muscular pains, diarrhoea and respiratory infections in makeshift aid posts.

“Crowded conditions in care centres can lead to an outbreak of diseases and it’s important we are treating these mild cases and decreasing the risks,” said Oil Search Medical Officer, Dr Robert Imambu. 

The mobile clinics also ensure roll out of vaccination for five–year-old children who have not been immunised since 2017 to prevent gastrointestinal diseases, tuberculosis and malnutrition.

The Oil Search Foundation will support an immunisation program over the next month recognising the risks in the outbreak of diseases such as whooping cough and measles among the young population in crowded conditions.

Serious cases identified in the villages were medivacked to Oil Search Moro Medical Clinic where they were monitored before being repatriated back to their respective villages.

Oil Search says it is focused on playing its role in supporting the communities, providing urgently needed help in terms of medical support and the mobile clinics will continue to assist the people in the affected areas.

“We can't do it all but we are doing our bit in helping the people recover from this disaster,” Oil Search Managing Director Peter Botten said.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole