24 Nov 2006

Health services in Solomon Islands is lagging twenty years behind time - says official

9:58 am on 24 November 2006

In Solomon Islands, the provision of Health and Medical Services in the country is lagging twenty years behind time.

Permanent Secretary of Health and Medical Services Dr Cyril Pitakaka says the health and medical service the Ministry currently provides is what they should be offering 20-years ago.

Dr Pitakaka made the statement yesterday when summoned by Parliament's Public Accounts Committee to answer what remedies the Ministry took following recommendations from the Attorney General's Special Audit Report.

He says the Ministry whole heartedly welcomed the report and are slowly working on remedial measures.

The Audit Report found abuse, misuse and mismanagement prevalent in the Ministry which Dr Pitakaka says emanates from carelessness, ignorance and also deliberately by his staff.