E.
Communication
The very large geographic territory served by the heal
care system of
the Marshall Islands creates unusual communication requi
ments.
Assistants need consultation hours with their supervisor
medex (medical
assistants).
regular times.
Typically these can be scheduled at specifiq
Health
Supply requests may be forwarded to a central logistics support facility at
Similar scheduled times.
The community health aids also neefl
to communicate
with their supervisors in emergencies at unexpected and unscheduled times 24
hours a day.
Communication links must be reliable and apailable at al]
times.
Present System
Telephone systems exist only in the urban areas and do n
outer islands.
system.
High
Written communications are restricted by th
frequency single
side
band
transceivers
extend to the
transportation
poweged by gasoline
generators were installed in many of the outer island clinics andj
in magistrate's
offices.
fiave resulted in
The harsh marine environment and operating conditions
rapid deterioration of equipment.
‘repair.
The highest priority has been given to the magistrate'sfradios.
the clinics now have radios.
radio.
Most units have been returndd to Majuro for
Those clinics near a magistrat®
None of
depend on his
A few borrow (rent) privately owned walkie-talkies to rg@lay requests to
the magistrate on their atoll for forwarding via his radio to Majuro.
are now without communication capability except by word of mout§
But many
or field ship.
Reliable communications using the current high frequency equipment is possible
only part of the time because of atmospheric disturbances from stbrms and varying
skip disturbances caused by variations in the ionosphere.
messages can be relayed from one station to the next.
at
scheduled
communications
messages.
net
at
times
other
when
times
al!
stations
only one
are
unmanned
Under
But this iB
attended.
practical only
For
emergency
station bloc§s the relay of
No attempt is made to man all of the stations excegt
scheduled net times.
fhese conditions
at the weekly
Plans to restock the clinics with new} high frequency
transceivers will not resolve these problems.
A multichannel] sqdlar powered VHF
system is being discussed, but will still have incomplete coverage, requiring
relaying of messages.
health.
Highest priority will still be for services other than