A number of children and adults living at Mangem Care Centre in Sumkar District of Madang are experiencing severe stomach aches and vomiting after eating dead fish and other dead marine species.
Yabu LLG President, Kenny Boli, says children especially had developed cough and are vomiting yellow liquids.
Boli explained that most of the children have been sick since last Thursday but the community had noticed it on Monday.
The LLG President added that they had report the matter to the Deputy Director Public Health, Makus Kachau on Tuesday; and a text message was sent to the Madang Provincial Disaster Director, Ruduolf Mongalle.
The community is appealing to the provincial health authority, the disaster office including the Madang provincial government to assist the community.
This issue has once again brought to light the issues affecting the internally displaced islanders living in the care centres not only at Mangem but also at Asuramba and Potsdam.
As the population continues to grow, resources available on the care centres are becoming scarce.
The displaced islanders have been living in the care centre since the volcano eruption on Manam island between late 2004 to early 2005, which resulted in the evacuation of more than 5000 men, women and children.
It’s been 17 years and life on the care centres has become a constant struggle for them.
Gatheirng food and water is a constant struggle for the displaced islanders. Even the temporary makeshifts that were built are now falling off with cracks on the walls.
These temporary makeshifts are now accommodating two or three families as there were no resources available for the displaced islanders to build new structures.
As another election period begins in PNG the Internally displaced islanders are still waiting on the government to resettle them.
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