Health services on ‘ emergency mode ’ for NGE

Some had even suggested electronic voting to be introduced in the Solomon Islands to cater for people working in the health sector and other essential services.

The Memo, also posted outside NRH stated, there will be no electives and referral clinics will be closed saying, all normal services will resume on 8th April 2019.

Meanwhile a concern nurse working at the NRH told YTTF ward services will be affected saying, some wards at the hospital will only have 2 to 3 nurses to serve the entire wards and with the eight hour shifts three times daily, there will be no nurses to work in other shift.

The nurse said this would be the scenario for the coming week expressing grave concerns that sick patients would suffer as a direct result of the scaling down of services.

Meanwhile, asked why doctors and medical staff were not included in the pre-polling, Chief Electoral Officer Mose Saitala said they were not included as it has to be prescribed by law to qualify for pre-polling.

Mr. Saitala said most officers like election officials, Police officers, and other essential service staff like Correctional officers, who are on duty on polling day, have not been able to cast their votes since independence.

He said, police officers and election officials have now been allowed by law to cast their votes through pre-polling.

He said other officers including doctors, nurses and other health professionals will need to be prescribed by regulation so they can be able to vote through pre-polling.