Daio health center receives solar water pump as water tank dry
As the El Niño conditions continue to affect everyday life, essential services, like healthcare, are also feeling the impact as prolonged dry weather worsens water shortages.
Daio Health Centre, a Catholic-run health facility located across the bay from Alotau Town, Milne Bay Province, had struggled to maintain basic health services until two weeks ago, when it received assistance in a form of a solar-powered water pump.
To continue providing basic health services at Daio health facility, staffs were forced to collect water from a nearby creek to care for their patients and families.
However, the situation has been improved following a donation of a solar-powered water pump to the health facility two weeks ago, easing the burden of collecting water manually from the creek.
Secretary of Catholic Health Services of the Alotau Diocese, Sr Nomita Rozario, says the solar water pump was originally for Alotau Catholic Diocese from the National Catholic Health Services, however, considering the challenges encountered by Daio health center, the pump was gifted to them to address their water needs.
Sr Nomita says with assistance of the local community, the solar powered water pump was successfully installed allowing the health facility to draw water directly from the tanks.
The water tanks at the health facility have now been fully refilled allowing services to flow smoothly.