Journey Into Kambuku
Here is an account of ELCPNG ICT&Communications Project Officer Waibo Bosia perfectly describes the journey taken from Wewak to reach Kambuku in Angoram District.
“Four hours journey from Wewak into Angoram District traveling on a dirt road, another 2 hours by boat up the main Sepik River and into Black River and another 2 hours into a tributaries of the black river. The scene was so fascinating an enjoyable ride but quite tough through waterlilies and tall swamp grasses that blocked the waterways for the dinghy to push through. We had to fight with the mosquitos in the boat while skipper struggles to power the throttle every time the motor went off cutting through waterlilies. The scenery changed in an hour as the boat skipped through tall and dense forest of pure sago palms and swamp a no man’s land I would say. A very challenging trip skipping the boat through blockages of sago palm branches and shallow waters, tree branches and bamboos blocking off the waterways. The unexpected weather changed in an hour and heavy down pour of rain that got us all wet. On our arrival at Kambuku the mosquitos welcomed us home”.
Brief History
The clan leader of Maten Clan Late Lala Jamkan who first bought the Lutheran Church with 2 pounds (K4.00) in 1968 from a German Lutheran Missionary Rev Sustha in Madang for Lutheran Church to be established at Kambuku, Angoram District – East Sepik Province. This caught the attention of Rev Sustha who denounced the 2 pound payment of Lutheran church and in the following year the Lutheran Mission was established at Kambuku. It is now a mission’s field taken care of by ELCPNG Madang District with the support from ELCPNG Head Office at Ampo, Lae. In the early days a Tokples school (local vernacular) was established in Bel Language of Madang and the school was abandoned in the 1980’s. Other services like youngpela Didiman were taught, adult literacy and later an Aidpost was established at Kambuku and transformed to what is now Kambuku Health Centre. There aren’t any government services available not even a school. People at Kambuku and the nearby community’s looks to Lutheran Church as the only service provider.
Kambuku Sub Health Center
Kambuku Health Centre managed by Lutheran Health Services is the only service available at Kambuku and nearby villages had to travel hours to Kambuku for medical needs. There are total of 6 catchment sites with an estimated population of over 10,000. Only 3 officers served at the Health Centre, two nursing officers and one community health worker who had sacrificed their time serving in this remotest part of East Sepik Province. In circumstances that are beyond their capacity the patients had to be referred to Angoram District Hospital and Boram Provincial Hospitals in Wewak. But communication is a huge challenge for the Health Workers. One officer sadly mentioned the struggles he endures everyday climbing a tree or a tall coconut tree and hang up there for an hour or so just to get a mobile phone signal for calling the hospital doctors and for transport assistance to get the patients out of Kambuku. On a dry season the water level drops and that makes traveling difficult for the health workers and the community. Walking is not easy going through the swamp and dense sago trees.
The clinic is mapped in East Sepik Province at approximately:
- Latitude: ~4°23′26″ S
- Longitude: ~143°58′39″ E
Kambuku Health Centre / Clinic is a recognized health care facility in East Sepik Province, generally classified as a local health clinic or sub-health centre serving rural communities within Angoram District. It appears on regional maps and facility lists as a small clinic serving nearby villages.
According to official health facility listings in the national health system, Kambuku SC (Sub-Center) is one of several rural health outposts in Angoram District. It’s operated under the oversight of the provincial and national health authorities to provide basic outpatient and preventive services, although extensive data on specific services or staff levels is limited.
Kambuku Clinic in very remote are area generally provide basic primary health care, including:
- immunizations and maternal health services,
- treatment of common illnesses (e.g., malaria, diarrhoea),
- first-aid and minor outpatient consultations,
- Public Health Outreach and Referrals to larger facilities (such as Angoram District Hospital).
Broader health data for Angoram District shows vaccination coverage challenges and irregular outreach, with some rural catchments (including Kambuku) historically having low immunization rates — this reflects systemic issues impacting small health centers.
