Photos: Supplied.
FROM LES LOUIS, ROTARY CLUB OF WYNNUM AND MANLY
Improving health outcomes for the people of Tanna Island in Vanuatu has been an important objective of the Rotary Club of Wynnum and Manly over the past few years. The Ioannen Clinic needed significant upgrading to provide a safe service to the 8500 people who rely on it for their health needs.
In conjunction with Bridging Health and Smol Haos Toilet Project Inc. in Vanuatu and the Rotary Club of Toowoomba Metro, Wynnum Manly Rotary developed a project, which included:
- A new septic system.
- Clean water installation involving a new roof, new rainwater tanks and a filtration system to provide a consistent source of potable water essential for medical procedures and overall hygiene.
- Toilet and shower block construction providing a new, dedicated toilet block.
- Disability accessibility modifications.
- Construction of women’s dormitories providing comfortable and secure accommodation for women, particularly those requiring extended stays for prenatal care, childbirth, and postnatal recovery.
- Solar lighting for the buildings.
The project has significantly improved public health, leading to improved infant mortality rates and hygiene practices, significantly reducing waterborne diseases.
The vastly improved access to the maternity ward provides a safer, more comfortable, and dignified environment for childbirth, leading to better maternal and newborn health outcomes. Within the first two weeks following project completion in March 2025, the successful management of a complicated childbirth saved a mother’s life.
The Rotary Club of Wynnum and Manly is very pleased to have been able to help these people get a facility that will serve them well for a long time.
