Fire-damaged buildings at the Naoero Public Health Centre were demolished this afternoon.
However, services are unaffected as staff rally to ensure the public continue to receive the care they require.
The front office block of the public health centre was ravaged by fire on 16 December 2022 destroying rooms for eight public health services, according to a statement by GIO.
Secretary for National Emergency Services Barassi Botelanga said investigations suggest an electrical fire started in the dentures work room of the dental clinic and travelled through the ceiling. The dental clinic was recently renovated and re-occupied around April 2022.
Acting Director for Public Health Don Kadir said despite the destruction staff worked through the weekend of the fire to clean up and relocate work spaces to ensure services resumed as normal for the public come Monday following the incident. Staff now share office space, computers and other equipment to keep the work going.
Mr Kadir said the situation presents an opportunity for the public health team to spend more time in the community and in the schools, as that is the focus they are pushing for this year.
“The patients won’t miss out on the services. What we’re also trying to do is to bring the services a bit closer to the patients like those wellness centres that are operating, just to maybe get them more functioning and get people to come in there more frequently.”
He is also thankful to the Correctional Centre who also assisted in the cleanup effort straight after the fire.
The estimated cost of damage is not yet known.
Photo GIO