16 May 2016

Solomons operating theatres repaired

7:01 am on 16 May 2016

Two of the three main operating theatres at the Solomon Islands' main hospital which were condemned in December have been cleared to reopen.

For the past five months the National Referral Hospital has been prioritising emergency surgery ahead of elective and non-life threatening procedures.

Its chief executive said renovations took longer than expected because of the government's complicated tender process and the difficulty in sourcing high quality building materials from Australia.

Steve Aumanu said inspectors from the Ministry of Infrastructure gave the two theatres the all clear last Wednesday and he expected them to be officially commissioned and back in operation early this week.

"To move ahead and continue to provide the surgical services which we have been unable to do and out teams from overseas and our doctors here our surgeons here will have the theatres decommissioned and the work we look forward is going to recommence."

Dr Aumanu said attention would now turn to the condition of the hospital's other main theatre, which has carried the bulk of the burden while the others were condemned.

Solomon Islands Referral Hospital, coastal erosion.

Solomon Islands Referral Hospital Photo: Supplied