General News from Solomon Islands

Currently there is a severe shortage of bread and flour in Honiara, a sandwich reportedly costs up to SBD 35 because the bread has to be imported from other provinces.

Last October the Australian bread and biscuit manufacturer Goodman Fielder Industries closed its bread factory in Honiara due to continued losses, and ever since nobody seems to have imported larger amounts of flour.

• A former commander of the Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM), George Grey was arrested and charged.
• The right hand of the former Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) commander Jimmy "Rasta" Lusibaea, Rocky Bebesi was arrested.
• A prime suspect in a murder case of a Guadalcanal militia leader in 2001 was re-arrested and charged. He was arrested a few weeks after the murder, but later released again by the MEF.
• A former employee of Solomon Telekom and MEF member was arrested and charged with two cases of demanding property with menace from his employer.
• A bank manager and two police constables were sentenced to several years of jail. To cover up the theft of SBD 22,000, the manager had paid the constables to set the Tulagi branch of the National Bank of Solomon Islands on fire.
• A total number of more than 3,800 guns have been collected so far.
• All registered refugees fom the Weathercoast have left the camp outside Honiara and returned to their villages.
• Unfortunately, the streets in Honiara are becoming littered again.

Because aviation fuel supplies were running low, domestic flights had to be reduced starting last week. New fuel supplies are expected to arrive next week, and the schedule should be back to normal on February 12.

Franziska Holenstein, Swiss volunteer doctor at NRH in Honiara writes:

It looks like the rainy season finally set in (a bit late), last week we had several torrential rains flooding more or less all streets. The X-ray department at the hospital was flooded, too, we didn't get any X-rays for the last three days. But this was not due to the rain, but because somebody forgot to close a faucet! We also had some power problems during the last few days. From what I heard there was a shortage of diesel, and therefore they had to turn off power for several hours each day. Right now the situation is back to normal again. Oh, and finally we no longer have problems buying bread, the lean times are over!

• A Minister was sentenced to five years in jail: three years for demanding money with menaces, and two years for assaulting a New Zealand policewoman and other offences while he was arrested.
• A senior police officer and former commander of the Malaita Eagle Force was sentenced to five years in prison for intimidation, assault and other offences.
• Two senior police officers were sentenced to two years each in prison for the theft of a government vehicle.
• Another leading member of the Family Charity Trust was sentenced to two years in jail and a fine of SBD 100,000.
• To this day 940 persons have been arrested and 1,630 charges laid, 52 of them for abduction and murder.
• The police destroyed (detonated) 18 tons of explosives which were stolen from the gold mine on Guadalcanal.
• 730 RAMSI military personnel are still in Solomon Islands. Members of the police forces from Papua New Guinea and Nauru will soon join the RAMSI police force in Solomon Islands.
• Thanks to the improved law and order situation, the EU will release funds for Solomon Islands again.
• New Zealand supports education with USD 7 millionen in 2004.
• Papua New Guinea provides USD 171,000 for Solomon Islands students studying in Papua and USD 685,000 for the operation of a Solomon Islands High Commission Office in Port Moresby.
• From June to December 2003 inflation has steadily declined. In December it was around 4%. There was a slight increase in January 2004, but it is still way below the peak value of 15% in January 2003.
• Government expenditure in the December 2003 quarter was 14% below the forecast.
• 1,718 tourists visited Solomon Islands in 2003, 60 more than in the year before.
• The Foreign Ministry of New Zealand has revised its travel advisory for Solomon Islands.
• Apparently, there are still about 350 refugees in Honiara who have not returned to the Weathercoast yet.

Since about fall 2003 a web site is advertising the private "King's University Medical School Solomon Islands Campus", but a reporter from Radio Australia in Honiara says, a campus such as pictured on the web site does not exist and the phone number listed for Honiara is disconnected.

• Vika Koto, partner of former MEF (Malaita Eagle Force) commander Jimmy "Rasta" Lusibaea, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder.
• A second deputy police commissioner was arrested and charged with abduction, intimidation and making false claims.
• A second senior police officer was arrested on rape and assault.
• A local businessman was charged with demanding money with menaces.
• A police recruitment campaign was started with the aim of recruiting about 100 qualified police officers (half of them women). About 1000 application forms have been handed out.
• An Australian police officer of the PPF (Participating Police Force) was sent home for inappropriate behaviour.
• The Ministry of Finance has noted an improvement in revenue collection, many people pay their dues to the Government. The January budget had a SBD 9.3 million cash surplus.
• All refugees from the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal apparently have returned to their villages by now.
• RAMSI troops have been withdrawn from the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal. Security in the region is provided by the police forces.

• Another former leader of the Malaita Eagle Force was arrested for abduction, robbery and several other offenses.
• A former member of a special police unit was arrested for illegal possesion and carrying of firearms in 2003. He had left the police force, but applied again during the recent recruiting campaign and was arrested some time later.
• A man was arrested for abduction and murder in the year 2000 and a former school principal was arrested for alleged embezzlement of school fees.
• Up to now 400 members of the police force have been under investigation, when RAMSI started there were 17 pending investigations.
• Investigations showed about SBD 55 million of unapproved and illegal payments were made to police officers in the years 2002 and 2003. About half of the payments were not made by the government.
• Out of 235 police candidates 158 (about half of them women) have successfully completed the first phase of tests and are entering the second phase now.
• Police officers from Tuvalu and Nauro have joined the international police force in Solomon Islands. The deployment of officers from Papua New Guinea has been delayed.
• Leased for three months, the vessel "Jackpot" serves the police force and other government agencies to reach remote places in the country.
• Last year Solomon Islands' economy grew by almost 4%, the first increase since 1999.
• There was a cash surpus of SBD 9.3 million in February, mainly because expenditures were below expectations.

  The figures for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services
  (in millions SBD)

  Period	budgeted	actual
  Budget 2004	69.5	-
  February 2004	5.8	2.7
  January - February '04	11.6	6.3

  
  
• The annual inflation increased from 5.6% for the period from December '03 to February '04 to 6.9% for the period from January to March '04.
• There seems to be a shortage of food in some villages on the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal, because the food the former refugees brought along run out, but products from the newly set up gardens are not yet available.

Volonteer doctor Franziska Holenstein writes:

The only news I have is that the rainy season is finally over! And that the World Cup soccer tournaments for Oceania have started. It's quite fun to watch those games, the stadium is just next to the hospital.

These are the first World Cup tournaments in Honiara after the years of unrest. On May 19, Solomon Islands leads group 1 (Solomon Islands, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Tonga, and Cook Islands) with 10 points, followed by Tahiti with 8 points. The next qualification tournaments take place in Adelaide.

According to Radio Australia, some parts of Honiara are without power most of the day because fuel is running low. Some business owners say they can no longer sell perishable goods like ice-cream because of the unreliable supply of power.

• The military units of RAMSI (but not the police and civilian helpers) are probably leaving end of July.
• On the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal about 30 bodies of victims of the unrest were exhumed for further investigations.
• A Honiara businessman was arrested for allegedly bribing customs officials.
• Since the start of RAMSI about 1,700 persons were arrested putting a great strain on the courts.
• Last year the total production of small copra producers was nearly 14,000 tons compared to almost 8,000 tons the year before.
• Last year twice as much sawn timber (mostly Rosewood) was exported than the year before.
• About SBD 6 million, which a timber firm allegedly paid for dues, never arrived in the government's account.
• The average inflation for 2003 was 10.1%.
• The 2003 budget was overspent by SBD 305 million.
• In the first quarter of 2004 expenditures were below and revenues above expectations. Result: SBD 21 millionen cash surplus.
• The Solomon Islands Government's total debt is now more than SBD 1.7 billion.

Thousands of Solomon Islanders welcomed and cheered their soccer heroes coming home from Australia at the airport and in Honiara. Even parliament arranged for a break to greet the team.

The team finished the final game against Australia with a draw (1:1) last Sunday, and with 10 points is second behind Australia with 13 points but ahead of New Zealand with 9 points. Therefore chances to participate in the World Cup tournaments in Germany are still intact. More details can be found on the FIFA web site.

The first 16 alledged students from India have arrived in Gizo to start their third year of medical trainig at the controversial King's University. Since there is no campus yet, the students are accommodated in a hotel, where they will also get their first lectures. Eight lecturers are said to be available.

An auction of pearl jewellery made of pearls cultured in Solomon Islands will take place in Sydney, Australia on June 30. Overseas bidders are welcome. All profits will be donated to Gizo Hospital.

Addendum: According to ACIAR's "Partners Magazin" of September 2004, Gizo Hospital received about AUD 25,000.

• The military units of RAMSI will be further reduced (current number of personnel: 650) but not completely withdrawn as was reported before.
• Atoifi (Malaita Province) and Buala (Isabel Province) are each getting a new police station.
• 30 police recruits (16 of them women) of 141 applicants who successfully completed the first recruitment process, will start their training in July. Another recruitment campaign will soon begin in other provinces and a second training course is planned for September.
• A new police unit, responsible for the safety and security at Honiara Airport is operational.
• The EU and New Zealand will donate almost USD 21 million for education during the next three years.
• Inflation has increased from 6.9% for the January to March period to 7.1% for the months February to April.
• May saw a cash surplus of SBD 8.9 million, of course only when debt arrears are ignored. Again, revenues were higher and spending lower than budgeted.
• Public officers are expected to receive (unbudgeted) salary arrears of 2.5% for 2003.
• After so many weapons were turned in, the number of large crocodiles (so called man-eaters) and the number of attacks on people is said to be on the rise, because the crocs are no longer hunted.

Health Services

From the yearly health statistics of the Rarumana Clinic on Vonavona in the Western Province:

• 301 cases of pneumonia (among them 116 children of less than 5 years)
• 215 cases of malaria (among them 109 children between 1 and 10 years)
• 168 cases of fever
• 54 cases of diarrhoea (among them 28 children up to 5 years)
• A total of 1650 visitors (returning and new patients)
• Of 15 admission cases 12 were referred to the provincial hospital in Gizo and one to NRH in Honiara

Click on picture to enlarge it. From left to right: Vincent Tobe (medical student), Dr Patrick Houasia, Dr Silent Tovosia, Dr Patrick Toito'ona, Dr Franziska Holenstein (volunteer doctor), Dr Nola Pikacha, Dr Rooney Jagilly, Dr Claude Posala

During the last few years 112 medical doctors were trained, but about 80 of them work overseas. The Ministry of Health is now trying to locate and convince them to come back where they are badly needed. Additionally, a proposal to improve the doctors' employment conditions has been submitted to the government.

Some doctors already returned home, among them Dr Silent Tovosia, an orthopedist whose training was supported by the Association South Pacific Medical Projects.

Last week 12 new trained medical doctors (4 residents, 4 registrars, 2 consultants, and 2 dental officers) were welcomed home. They will work at NRH and the provincial hospitals.

For the past few days, reports about a confirmed Aids case were going round in Honiara, despite Medical Superintendent at NRH, Dr Judson Leafasia having refuted the rumors.

According to Dr Leafasia, the rumors were probably started by a hospital employee, because the hospital staff is regularly reminded of the dangers of contracting the desease. A positive side effect of the scare may be that people are once again reminded of their personal responsibility to avoid HIV/AIDS.

A group of AOG (Assemblies of God) members, two doctors and five medical officers, are providing free medical services in the town of Noro, Western Province for about two weeks. The visit was approved by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

The first such team was in Noro in November 2002 and took care of more than 1,000 patients.

About 12,000 more cases of malaria were registered in 2003 than in 2002. An increase was found on Malaita (+3,400 cases), Guadalcanal (+6,500 cases), in Honiara, and Choiseul, Makira and Temotu Provinces. The number of deaths related to malaria increased, too. Since the mid '90s the number of cases have decreased from 118,000 to 80,000 last year.

A radio show will be lauched soon, to remind people of how the number of malaria cases can be reduced.

After almost four years of neglect, the Bita'ama clinic in North Malaita was renovated and opened again yesterday. It now has a new shower, five beds in the maternity ward and four beds in the admittance block. The Community Peace and Renovation Fund provided SBD 140,000 for the renovation. About 3,000 people are said to have been present during the opening.

Japan provides more than SBD 247,000 for the construction of a clinic in the Koloula area on the South Coast of Guadalcanal. The clinic will serve over 2,000 people of about 14 villages.

During a meeting of regional HIV/Aids specialists in Honiara it was revealed that 10 years ago 45 suspected cases were found among 280,000 blood samples taken in Solomon Islands between 1982 and 1992. However, for various reasons (lack of follow-up, anonymity, lack of policies to guard laboratory staff against reprisals, non-existence of a coordination authority), only one case was confirmed positive in 1994.

Since then, all blood samples that get to NRH are tested for HIV.

The risks of HIV spreading to Solomon Islands are considered high.

The Government wants to improve the employment and working conditions of doctors. Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza hopes to get some new ideas while discussing this with his counterparts during his visits of Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa in the coming days.

Japan supports the renovation of the Solomon Islands College of Higher Eduction (SICHE) School of Nursing in Honiara with almost SBD 235,000.

The WHO office in Honiara organizes an open and lively discussion forum about health topics every Thursday during lunchtime. Past topics were: sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), HIV/AIDS, primary health care, family health, food safety, quality health care, and the expanded program on immunization (EPI). This week Dr Arnold Raubenheimer, gynecologist and obstetrician at NRH talks about "Anemia during Pregnancy".

During the latest health forum Dr Raubenheimer revealed that currently there are 20 anemia cases at NRH, some of them prenatal and postnatal mothers. He also said that the high morbidity is worrying. One of the problems seems to be that people do not take the tablets prescribed against iron deficiency.

During his presentation about HIV/Aids on the International Women's Day in Honiara, the local WHO liaison officer mentioned two confirmed cases in Solomon Islands during the last 20 years, a man and a woman. Until now, only one case was said to have been confirmed.

06.05.04 [Source: PFnet News] During today's open health forum, Ray Skinner, Director of the National Pharmacy confirmed that Solomon Islands has two confirmed HIV/Aids cases.

To thank the Solomon Islanders for making them feel so very welcome, RAMSI soldiers have organized fund raising events. The medical ward received SBD 1,550 and the rehabilitation and physiotherapy department received SBD 13,383.

Japan supported the renovation of the health clinic at Bishop Patteson Theological College at Kohimarama in West-Guadalcanal with more than SBD 34,000. The clinic serves about 1,000 people in the surrounding villages.

The clinic was officially opened this week, and now has a larger general consultation room, a dispensary, a maternity room, a microscope room, a shower and a toilet.

Currently there is a large number of influenza cases in Honiara. The virus type is not yet known. The symptoms are a sore throat, headaches, and very high fevers but only for a short time. People recover within about three days and no casualties have been reported yet.

A few days ago Fiji was swept by a wave of the Human Influenza Type A virus.

Records at NRH show that during the last eight years each year at least two people died and 65 were injured as a result of road accidents. Average hospitalization length for those patients was 20 days.

Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), two Japanese malaria experts are currently in the country to help improve malaria diagnostic knowledge and skills during a one-week workshop.

Malaria remains a major health problem in Solomon Islands. The number of cases is on the rise since 1999, has exceeded 78,000 in 2001, and is the most frequent cause of children's deaths.

People from Makira-Ulawa Province thank the Ministry of Health and Medical Services for posting a doctor to their province this year. They are really happy with their new provincial Director of Health and Medical Services, Dr Kenton Sade who already did several operations at Kirakira hospital, something they have not experienced before.

The flu that started last month and affected many people in Honiara is slowing down, but some patients have been infected for more than two weeks. It has not been possible to identify the virus because the necessary equipment is not available.

During the next few months three doctors will leave the National Referral Hospital because they found more attractive positions in other countries.

Planned improvements of working conditions for doctors have yet to be approved.

Currently there are 32 doctors at NRH, but 80 are necessary. Right now there are no specialists in internal medicine and there is only one overworked anesthetist. Unfortunately, the search for doctors was not yet successful.

The situation in provincial hospitals is not better: three doctors for the Malita Province, four for the Western Province, one each for the Makira-Ulawa, Temotu, Guadalcanal and Choiseul provinces, and still none for the Central Province.

3,200 established and 180 new cases of diabetes were recorded last year.

The National Psychiatric Unit at Kilu'ufi Hospital noticed an alarming increase in the number of patients, especially young people suffering from drug abuse (mostly marijuana).

Presently the unit has 17 patients, five of them female. The unit is without a psychiatrist for quite some time.

Media and Reports

Campagne de vaccins à Guadalcanal, another report (in French) by Jessica Delarue.

Two filled in questionnaires: FO0401 and MR0401.

Dr Oberli writes:

Of the many people who worked in Solomon Islands during the last 10 years, 44 gathered at Vreni and Dr Erhard Erb's place at the beautiful Lake of Neuchâtel on May 15. The reunion was a tremendous success, blue sky and beaming faces, a lot of reminiscing. Also present was Patrick Houasia, who currently works at Kantonsspital Uri in Altdorf. Our thanks go to the Erb family who went out of their way to welcome and feed the many visitors.

The gathered crowd © 2004 H. Oberli (230KB JPG)	Dr Patrick with the recently graduated doctors Andrea, Simone, and Salomé (the so called "house girls"), who did part of their electives in Honiara. © 2004 H. Oberli (48KB JPG)

Projects

Dr Rooney Jagilly and Dr Patrick Houasia attended the AO course principles of operative fracture treatment and OT nurses Madeline Kimasaru and Makulata Tuita the operating room personnel AO course relating to fracture treatment in Sydney, Australia.

From left: Makulata Tuita, Dr Patrick Houasia, Dr Rooney Jagilly and Madeline Kimasaru	Dr Rooney Jagilly (left) and Dr Patrick Houasia

Dr Jagilly writes:

It was a very interesting and helpful course. We all enjoyed it and are thankful for Dr Oberli and all other people for continuing to supporting us.

Dr Oberli writes:

On March 21, 2004 Dr Patrick Houasia from Solomon Islands arrived in Altdorf, Uri, Switzerland via Sydney, Australia. Together with another doctor and two OT nurses he attended an AO course (principles of operative fracture treatment) in Sydney, and then continued his journey to Switzerland, where he will spend four months at the cantonal hospital Uri in Altdorf. He was invited and welcomed as a visiting doctor by Dr Joller, who has worked in Solomon Islands four times already. This part of Dr Patrick Houasia's training is cofinanced by the Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation and the Association "South Pacific Medical Projects".

His introduction to the new surroundings:

family Joller provides warm clothing and ...	soon after his arrival Dr Joller puts a watch on the previously empty wrist, so Dr Patrick can adjust to "Swiss Time" without problems.

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