By WASITA ROYAL
FOR many years, the Vunapaka Health Centre has been a quiet but important place of health care for the people of Reimber Local Level Government in Gazelle District. It serves more than 22,000 people in 15 wards, reaching as far as Rabaul District. The health centre has been serving the community since the 1960s. But for a long time, it was not easy for people to see or find the facility, because it sits just behind a small hilltop and had no clear sign.
Now, the health centre is easier to see for it has launched a new signboard. The sign shows the important services the health centre offers, including maternal and child health care and general health services for the public. To the community, the sign is more than just a board. It shows that the health centre is there and that help is available.
The sign was made possible by four midwife students from Divine Word University (DWU) Rabaul Campus. They were doing seven weeks of training at the health centre when they saw the need for a clear sign. Rosah Andrew, one of the midwife trainees, said the health centre is a place of hope and healing. She said a clear, professional sign is important so people can see the facility, know about it, and find it easily. She said no mother or patient should struggle to find the care they need.
The Officer In Charge (OIC) of Vunapaka Health Centre, Dorah Edwards Mapoa, said eight staff members serve patients every day. The staff includes nurses and community health workers. They work in the outpatient, general ward, postnatal ward, and labour ward. They also provide family planning, antenatal care, baby clinics, and disease control services. Mrs Mapoa said this is challenging with the number of staff they have, but they continue to provide a full range of services at the health centre level.
The new sign now makes the health centre more visible and helps the community know what services are available. But the launch also brings a message for the people. The surrounding communities now have a duty to take ownership of the health centre. They should help protect the facility, its resources, and its staff, so it can continue to serve the people for many years to come.