A land-cruiser owned by the Emergency Department (ED) within the National Referral Hospital (NRH) was stoned early Sunday morning around the FFA Junction, West Kola’a Ridge, Central Honiara.
A total of about seven nursing officers including the driver were onboard when the incident occurred between 1am-2am Sunday morning, report reaching Solomon Star Online said.
The traumatic incident involved a stone deliberately thrown at the vehicle by someone hitting the vehicle which led to a cracked wind screen.
Initial report stated that the new land-cruiser was on its routine trip to drop-off two ED doctors and nursing officers when the incident occurred at the FFA road Junction.
One of the ED officers said, the vehicle first dropped off the first doctor and was on its way to drop off the remaining nurses and another doctor, when they got hit.
“Fortunately, the stone landed at the bonnet of the vehicle before it sprung on to hit the windscreen.
“If the stone had been thrown directly at the wind screen and went through the wind screen it would have injured one of the medical officers,” the ED staff said on Sunday morning.
The incident which also caused trauma and fear to the nursing staff and one of the doctors was immediately reported to Naha Police Station. It’s now under police investigation.
The new ED land-cruiser was gifted by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) in March 2025 specifically for the department to ease the challenge of transporting their officers during the day and night.
“Since the gifting of the land cruiser to the department, ED doctors and nursing staff are able to arrive at work and perform their duties well. They are also able to return home after work on time.
“But following the incident, the department is worried because it would cost them and affect their daily services.”
The officer added, the department does not have any fund to meet the cost of repair and it would depend on the Ministry of Health to support them.
In the past, the ED nurses normally rely on the main National Referral Hospital (NRH) vehicle fleet to transport them.
But most times the vehicles are always busy given most of the nurses are living in scattered locations around Honiara.
So it affects the work of medical officers at NRH, it was revealed.
For the emergency department which is the frontline of all services at NRH this dedicated vehicle had enabled the doctors and nurses to perform their duty well.
During each shift, about eight nurses are working within the emergency department given the demanding working environment.
The latest incident had caused widespread condemnation from members of the public who are outrage at such bad behavour directed at medical officers.
Its not the first time such incident occurred that have been directed to the hospital owned vehicles.
In 2019 during New Year’s night a hospital vehicle suffered damages when some youths threw stones at it at Green Valley, east Honiara.
The vehicle got by a hard object that broke through its glass at the back door when transporting nurses to and from work.
In 2022 during the height of the COVID-19 lock down period many incidents of stoning and roadblock against hospital vehicles were also reported. Some of them included;
1) A land cruiser was stoned at stone field, Kaibia heights.
2) A land cruiser was stoned at Lungga area.
3) A land cruiser was blocked at April valley, Panatina.
4) At an unspecified time during the lockdown a bus used to support NRH operations sustained two broken windows at No.3 area.
5) During the lockdown period a St. John Ambulance had to turn back from an actual emergency run around Feraladoa area due to road block.
The Health Ministry in a statement at in 2022 said, fortunately drivers and health workers narrowly escaped injuries from these incidents.
Apart from the cost of repairs, nurses and health workers were left traumatized by the incident.
What happened had also put the lives of those who were sick and urgently needed to visit NRH and inpatients but also the hospital medical workers, the very people who have unselfishly made significant sacrifices to their families for your health and lives and that of your families, friends and the country,” the statement said.
Lead photo caption. The front screen of the land-cruiser which was damaged. Photo supplied.
