As the politics in Waigani heightens with elected members camped in expensive hotels and jetting in and out at the expense of tax payers, and a massive K10 million thrown into a COVID 19 research project, an eleven-year-old girl dies in remote Western Province from a snake bite, due to lack of basic government services.
It would have cost less that K100,000 – that’s less than a tenth of what’s being invested in the COVID 19 project, to get the training and snake bite kits into the Mogulu Health Centre.
Sogome is an eleven-year-old girl from Habi. It takes at least 3 to 4 hours to get to Mougulu Health Centre from Habi.
Sogome was out fishing yesterday when she was bitten by a death adder.
This is the 21st snake bite case reported at this remote health centre, unfortunately, hers was fatal.
Her family carried her and ran for 3 to 4 hours to get to Mougulu, but lost her along the way.
Health workers at Mougulu tried to resuscitate her and bring her back to life but all in vain.
With a heavy heart and in dismay, Her brothers and young men carried her tiny body away back to Habi.
According to Sally Llyod, a long time missionary in this rural station, lack of basic government services failed Sogome.
“If there was network and someone at the village to call for help, we could have sent our small aircraft and the 3-hour journey from Habi would take less than 10 minutes. We need to have aircraft and medical people on site all times,” writes Sally.
Sally says the family were in “total shock and exhaustion” after her death and says situations like this are preventable.
“We often have such situations. Most like these are preventable, and sadly the solution is putting money into access health and education.
“We are building a high school and many other things and we need more support to keep getting things done,” adds Sally.
This morning, locals killed two death adders just 4 metres away from Sally’s house.
“Preventative measures and first aid are our best defence right now,” says Sally.
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