BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Architectural design for the Japanese funded $120 million project for the improvement of Kilu’ufi hospital in Auki, Malaita province has unveiled.

The design will see improvement to some of the current infrastructure at Kilu’ufi hospital even an expansion to provide more space for services at the hospital.

The plan for the expansion of the hospital will mostly cover its eastern wing, where a soccer was located on the edge of the hospital.

This is where most work of the project will focus. According to a senior staff at the hospital, the design for the project has gone through lots of review till this final design.

He stressed that one important area the hospital management had discussed with Japan when designing the project is the operational cost of the hospital.

“We try as much to ensure the project is design in a way where require health service is offer to people with less operational cost.

“This is important for better management of the cost to run the hospital. Now, Kitano is here and has began work on the project,” the staff said.

The staff added that the current design has also considered rooms for further expansion and development of Kilu’ufi provincial hospital.

According to Japanese Ambassador, His Excellency MIWA Yoshiaki, the project will not only offer clinical services but bolster infrastructure at the hospital.

While the project will provide central clinic and delivery departments, it will also strengthen water supply system, electricity and sewerage at the hospital.

The project is also designed as an alternative to National Referral Hospital, where it will help a lot in off-loading burdens from NRH in Honiara.

He project has already been implemented and expect to complete in the first quarter of 2026.