People accessing health services from the team
By Lesley Foinagwa [Freelance journalist, Malaita province]
A 15-member Primary Health Care (PHC) team from Atoifi Hospital has brought free health services closer to remote communities in Loiloi and surrounding areas through a four-day health outreach programme.
The outreach was conducted from Monday, September 7, to Thursday, September 10, 2026, with the health team departing Loiloi on Friday, September 11.
The team comprised a doctor, midwife, registered nurses and student nurses from Atoifi Hospital.
The visit marked the first time a doctor, midwife and team of nurses had travelled to the highland communities to provide health services on such a scale.
People from 12 communities and nearby settlements attended the programme, including Loiloi, Unufa, Sinafolo, Canaan, Rumu, Namolo’alo’a, ‘Aufarisi, Daisu’aani, Namoabu, Loulana, Maoa and Busule’easi.
During the outreach, the health team provided free health checks, non-communicable disease (NCD) screening, health counselling, health awareness sessions and outpatient treatment.
The programme also gave community members an opportunity to learn more about their health conditions and receive medical advice without having to travel long distances or pay costly fees for health checks.
One of the recipients, Michael Mule from Lumu community, said he was satisfied with the approach taken by the visiting health team.
“The type of service this health team provided is different compared to the previous. I am really satisfied with the way this health team thoroughly checked my health status before giving me a prescription that truly meets my health needs,” Mr Mule said.
Women in the communities also benefited from health awareness sessions, particularly discussions on healthy food preparation and the importance of reducing excessive salt and other ingredients in daily meals.
Veronica Maeanisia said the programme provided her with useful knowledge that she could apply at home.
“As women, we are the main cooks in our houses, and most of the time we add too much salt to the food. Therefore, this programme helped me to use the right amount of ingredients that promote good health,” Mrs Maeanisia said.
The outreach was particularly important for the remote communities, where residents face challenges travelling to Maoa Rural Health Centre to access medical services.
Distance, difficult access routes and transportation costs can prevent people from receiving regular health checks and medical advice.
The programme also placed strong emphasis on NCDs, which are an increasing health concern in communities.
Community members welcomed the outreach because it combined medical services with health education, allowing them not only to receive treatment but also to better understand how lifestyle choices can affect their health.
The successful completion of the outreach has raised hopes among the communities that similar programmes will be conducted in the future, helping bring essential health services closer to people living in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
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