𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗶-𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝟭 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Task Force Cori Mada 2 personnel working in the Solomon Islands, as part of the Solomon International Assistance Force, celebrated the first anniversary of the Burns Creek Medical Centre on Friday 03 November with the medical staff, members of the Burns Creek community and invited guests. The occasion was blessed with the presence of the British High Commissioner, His Excellency (H.E.) Thomas Edward Coward, who was the Guest of Honor.

The Fijian Contingent deployed as part of Task Force Cori Mada 1 had worked closely with the Burns Creek community to restore the center that enabled patients from across Honiara to visit and receive their health check-ups and receive medication.

RFMF Contingent Commander Lieutenant-Colonel (Lt-Col) Asaeli Toanikeve said it was a great privilege to work with the community since the Fijians arrived in November 2021, especially in building trust, teamwork, and collaboration through good community engagement initiatives with the community elders, women, and especially the youths, and that the 1-year anniversary celebration is a true reflection of the partnership.

“The restoration of the clinic and the opening of the malaria laboratory here at Burns Creek will not only help improve the quality of medical services for the local communities but overall contribute to the capability and capacity of the SI Ministry of Health and Medical Services.” Lt. Col. Toanikeve said

On its one-year anniversary, the medical facility has built a remarkable statistical record, with an average of 160–200 patients seen per day on a five-day per week operation. Statistics highlighted state that approximately 24,000 or more patients have been medically served during its 1-year operation. These include residents from Burns Creek community, surrounding areas within the East and Central Honiara corridors, and even as far as G-Pol 1 (East Guadalcanal). The medical staff has built a great reputation for fantastic customer service.

In addition to this, the medical facility has also accommodated Solomon Island National University (SINU) nursing students for the practical part of their education. Their presence has greatly assisted the medical staff because of the high number of patients seen every day.