- Solomon Islands’ population which is geographically dispersed makes access to maternal health extremely limited.
- The Bank is building a maternal wing at Lokuru village to serve remote communities
Solomon Island, September 19, 2011 - Kali is a 5 year old girl growing up without either a mother or father. Her mother died giving birth to her in a small remote village on the island of Rendova in the Western Province of Solomon Islands. Kali’s father left her and her three older sisters to remarry. He placed the children in the care of their mother’s parents and does not visit or provide for them. Mrs Pereseini, Kali’s grandmother, gave a recount of the day her daughter died. “There was no engine to take her to the big village of Lokuru. Her labour pains came in the middle of the night and the sea was rough, so we delayed taking her to the aid post. The next day we managed to get a boat and took her to the village nurse. She finally gave birth. Later we took her to Munda hospital. But after we got there, she died – the doctor said she lost a lot of blood. If a boat was available at that time, we would have taken her in time to the nurse, and she could still be alive today.” Travel by boat from the Pereseini’s home to the big village takes less than 10 minutes, but is expensive and unaffordable to some people. To walk takes more than half an hour and over difficult terrain exacerbated during wet weather. If there was one thing she could change, Mrs Pereseini said she wants the aid post at Lokuru upgraded to the level of a health clinic or even mini hospital with adequate medical supplies and equipment, and have a registered nurse and midwife. Most births on Rendova Island are attended by a nurse aide who is often assisted by a traditional midwife. However when their time is near, pregnant women and their husbands are strongly encouraged to embark on a one and half hour boat travel to Munda hospital on the island of New Georgia where women receive a higher level of care.  The road to the Pereseini's - impossible to travel for
women in labor More than 15 percent of births in the country remain unaccounted for. It is highly likely that the majority of these are not attended by trained health workers. Stories such as those we heard during our visit to Lokuru are unfortunately not isolated to this community. Solomon Islands has one of the most geographically dispersed population in the world and access to services is extremely limited. New maternity wing for the Lokuru community
The World Bank’s Rural Development Program (RDP) is supporting village level infrastructure and services for rural communities in Solomon Islands. Through this program the community of Lokuru village is being assisted to upgrade the building that houses the aid post. The building, started by a logging company that once operated on the island, is incomplete and has been for over 10 years. The aid post had been operating in the incomplete building all this time. Completing the building was identified by the community as their highest priority when visited by the RDP team. The upgraded building will include a maternity wing with water and sanitation facilities, an outpatient area, and a room for overnight admission of serious cases. In addition to the RDP support, the community also plans to build housing for staff that will be posted to the clinic. The community is working together on this project and they hope to have a completed health building by the end of September 2011. With funding from the Solomon Islands government, AusAid, the EU, IFAD and the World Bank with contributions from the community in cash and kind, the US$31.59 RDP is being implemented by the Ministry of National Planning and Aid Coordination and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and is rolling out to eight provinces in the country. | 
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