A group of displaced children residing at the Morobe Governor’s official residence have been missing out on health care from clinics in Lae.
The children belong to a group of more than 200 settlers from a settlement in Lae who fled their homes at Sialum compound after a clash in September 2016.
The mothers find it difficult to take their babies for immunisation because they are still traumatised by the clash and find it unsafe to move around.
Since the clash in September in 2016, 9 babies were born at the camp site and a pair of twins have died as a result of miscarriage.
Allenah Rogie is one mother who has not been taking her son for immunisation since she gave birth to him last year.
“It’s frightening to step outside. The memories of all the violence and fires are still fresh,” Allenah told EMTV News.
The group of settlers consist of people from Sialum, Pindiu and Kabwum in Morobe.
They have been camping at the Morobe Governor’s official residence at Top Town in Lae City, since the clash in September 4 in 2016.
This includes elderly people, women and more than 45 children.
Lae’s Metro Public Relations Department, headed by Chief Sargent Cathy Rimbao, visited the children with gifts on the weekend, and encouraged the parents to take their children to clinics for treatment.
” Please do not let fear take a toll on your children’s health,” Sergeant Rimbao tells the crowd as she handed out gifts to the children to mark the festive season.
Provincial Minister for Law and Order, Kiwas Nayos, said the Provincial Government, Disaster Office and Lae Police planned to move them back to their original place of residence by March this year.
