Community Health Center at Waena, Abepura (Jubi)
Jayapura, Jubi – Jayapura Health Chief Dolarina De Breving said the health center in Waena was closed because of security reasons.
“The problem is not because there are no workers but because there is no guarantee of safety for officers who are serving there,” Breaving said.
She said that drunken people sometimes threatened health workers with machete and damaged motorcycle, if they failed to meet officers.
“I don’t want our officers to get hurt,” she told Jubi via a short text message on Sunday (9/11).
The maintenance worker at the health center has been expelled by the local people and medical equipment was stolen and sold as scrap metal.
“We have reported this matter to the village chief, the head of the district, and the Commission C Jayapura. They suggested to temporarily stop the service until the security posts in the area is built, ” she explained.
Despite the security threat, mobile health services remain operating in the daytime, she said.
Local residents have complained that the health center had closed for a year.
“We asked for the health service to immediately open again. When we are sick we have to walk to the other health service for treatment and it is too far and expensive” one resident who declined to be named said. (Sindung Sukoco/ Tina)
