The SBD120 million Kilu’ufi Improvement Project, funded by the Japanese International Corporation Agency, JICA, kicked started this week with a ground-breaking ceremony at the project site in Kiluúfi, Malaita Province.
The Kiluufi Hospital improvement Project is the result of initial bilateral consultations and negotiations in 2020 between the Ministry of Health and the office of JICA Solomon Islands, which then led to the formal signing off all necessary and required undertaking including project assessments, project design and formulation between the periods of 2020 up until the signing off of the project contract construction document in July 2024.The construction work will be implemented by Kitano Construction Corporation and is expected to take up to around 32 months to complete.
Present at the ground breaking ceremony were the Minister for Health and Medical Services the Hon Dr Paul Popora Bosawai, and his executive team from MHMS, Ambassador of Japan to the Solomon Islands, His Excellency Miwa Yoshiaki, , Resident Representative of JICA Solomon Islands, Mr Takeshi Watanabe, Deputy Premier of Malaita Province Randol Sifoni, Project Consultant of Fukunaga Architects-Engineers (aka. FAE), Mr Masaru Fujinuma and Kitano Construction executives. Partner Line Government Ministries including representative from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Development Planning were also in attendance to the event.
The expansion and improvement project will bolster the functions of Kilu’ufi hospital as it will accommodate the emergency medicine and general outpatient service, medical imaging, delivery unit and operating theatres suite with a central sterilization department.
Speaking at the opening Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Bosawai described the occasion as a realisation of a shared vision.
“The ground-breaking ceremony for the Kilu’ufi Hospital Improvement Project is not just the beginning of a construction process—it is the realization of our shared vision to strengthen and improve the healthcare services of Malaita Province and the Solomon Islands, as envisioned in the Role Delineation Policy, and the Solomon Islands National Health Strategic Plan 2022-2031.
Additionally, the project is a direct translation of the vision and commitment, as part of the GNUT’s 100-days policy program and policy statement, which emphasizes improving healthcare under the Social Sector. The improvement of Kilu’ufi Hospital is more than just a physical expansion; it is a symbol of the unwavering dedication of the Solomon Islands Government, in partnership with the Government of Japan, to ensuring that our people in Malaita has access to quality healthcare that is close to home without financial hardship and burden and not having to travel to Honiara.
On behalf of the Solomon Islands GNUT Government and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, I extend my deepest gratitude to the Government and people of Japan for their significant support in improving health services of our people of Malaita Province,” said Minister for Health Dr Bosawai.
In his remarks, Deputy Premier of Malaita Province Randol Sifoni thanked the Government and people of Japan for their gift to Malaita Province and highlighted the Province’s plans moving forward in the health sector.
“Today, Malaita Provincial Government and the people of Malaita are delighted. They look forward to the successful implementation and completion of the Kiluúfi Hospital Improvement Project and the improved health services it will offer to meet the needs of our communities.
Malaita Provincial Health clinical statistics, confirm that 55% of our health facilities have had no renovation work in the past five years, in addition, 41% of the health facilities only involved minor scale renovations. So, this improvement to the Province’s main hospital is welcome news and an incredible milestone for our health sector,” said Deputy Premier Sifoni.
Meanwhile speaking at the groundbreaking Ambassador of Japan to the Solomon Islands, His Excellency Miwa Yoshiaki said that it is extremely significant to establish a medical service system in Malaita, the most populous province in the Solomon Islands, so that the inhabitant in Malaita can enjoy an appropriate medical care in their own province without having to visit Honiara.
“Under the Japan – Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Declaration” adopted at the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo in July this year, Leaders expressed their commitment to address health challenges including non-communicable diseases and mental health conditions, through strengthening healthcare system to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage (UHC). The Project for the Improvement of the Kilu’fi Hospital is a very significant initiative that embodies the PALM 10 Leaders’ Declaration.”
“There is enormous scope for utilizing Japan’s experience and expertise in healthcare, which has developed through the history of addressing the challenges of acute infectious diseases such as cholera, plague and dysentery, chronic infectious diseases, infant and maternal mortality, NCDs and others.
“The government of Solomon Islands is eagerly pursuing the fight against malaria and NCDs, which have been on the rise in recent years, and we would like to cooperate to ensure that the extension of Kilu’ufi Hospital is an initiative that meets the expectations of the government of Solomon Islands,” said Ambassador Yoshiaki.
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