Frieda River Limited has joined forces with the Ambunti District Hospitality to deliver a joint integrated health program for landowning and neighbouring communities in the Frieda River area.
The company, which is advancing a large-scale gold and copper project on the border of Sandaun and East Sepik Provinces, is also working to establish critical public infrastructure in the region. Its operations cover the villages from the Miyan and Telefol language groups, while a village from the Payamo language group are the landowners for the proposed site of the Frieda River hydro-electric project.
The health program involves maternal and child health clinics that have delivered services to 342 women and children. These included vaccinations, antenatal consultations, and family planning services.
A total of 1,238 patients have been treated for common outpatient related ailments.
The program also included a targeted tuberculosis screening initiative to detect the disease and formulate treatment plans. The screening was led by Frieda River health extension officer Magdeline Nenikuro with assistance from Ambunti District Hospital lab technician Francis Tamalako.
“Tuberculosisis is a prevalent health issue in Papua New Guinea and can cause serious complications and even death,” Nenikuro said. “By visiting remote communities, we can reach many people who don’t have regular or easy access to testing, diagnosis and treatment.”
The initiative is one of the many ways FRL has focused on supporting primary health care as part of the social investment in communities.
Frieda River country manager Joel Hamago said the healthcare intervention was part of the company’s social investment in local communities.
“Since 2014, we have been investing in primary healthcare for our communities with health with programs, community infrastructure and even supporting complex and specialised surgeries, in the wider Sepik region” he said.
“Frieda River continues to support the five aid post facilities in the Frieda River catchment, by procuring basic medical drugs and supplies.”
