Foreign

Solomon Islands

Medical

chaos

All 24 local doctors in the Solomon Islands Medical Service resigned with effect from midnight on August 2, leaving hospitals and health centres throughout the country in the hands of registered nurses and a few expatriate doctors.

The national doctors, who are members of the Solomon Islands Medical Association, had tendered their resignations a month earlier. And the move claimed its first victim two days after their resignation as a person involved in a road crash died at Honiara Central Hospital after nurses failed to locate a doctor to attend to him.

Hospitals and health centres were reporting chaos as a result of the mass resignation. Patients were reported to be receiving only limited medical services from the few expatriate doctors and nurses. Nursing officers and patients have condemned the government’s seemingly uncaring attitude about the resig nation.

The doctors are demanding better terms and conditions of service. They opened a private clinic in Honiara on august 13.

The clinic, owned by the Solomon Islands Medical Association, is staffed by the national doctors. It is the first of a number of clinics the association plans to open in Honiara. ***

Foreign

relations

A parliamentary foreign relations committee has recommended the government seriously review its foreign relations with a view to retaining only those beneficial to the Solomon islands.

This was among recommendations made after the committee visited 14 countries. It drew attention to the fact that although the Solomon Islands has ties with 37 countries it benefits from only seven of them. The seven countries contributed about US$2l million of the US$44 million in bilateral grants. The committee also noted that while the government was a member of 23 international and regional organisations, it received development grants from only 10.

It also suggests the government revive the appointment of roving envoys to the Pacific Forum countries, South East Asia and Commonwealth member countries.

It named Australia as among its important neighbours and suggested the appointment of a resident high commissioner to Canberra, consul general in Sydney and trade commissioner in brisbane and Melbourne.