Doctors leaving Papua

Doctors leaving Papua

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Rural communities in Jayapura regency's
more remote areas are complaining about the scarcity of medical
supplies and of doctors fleeing to the provincial capital or to
other provinces because of the prolonged conflict in the area.

In Bonggo district, Besar tribal chief Seblum Werbabkay said
on Wednesday that villagers have had difficulty obtaining health
services for the past five months.

According to Seblum, a lack of medicine meant the people of
Bonggo had to rely entirely on herbal concoctions to treat their
ailments.

He called on the regency health office to allocate money for
the procurement of drugs, in order to ensure public health
services reached the entire region. --Antara