They have been dubbed the ‘Green Angels’ because of their green uniforms and selfless acts of courage.
The festive period is no different; work continues for law enforcers and health workers, including primary emergency ambulance service providers like St John Ambulance.
Twenty-three cases were attended by the Lae-based team on December 25th, and one of them involved an elderly mother, Lomsi Joe, and her son.
They are from Finschhafen, in Morobe Province, but live with a Kabwum woman, Essie Malabu, at her home at Four-Mile, in Lae, to be closer to the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital.
Lomsi, who is in her 60s, has a son in his early 20s who is currently wheelchair-bound due to an illness.
“In September, we came to the ANGAU outpatient, stayed there for two weeks, then they sent us to ward 7C,” she said. “We remained there for another 2 weeks; they diagnosed him with TB and sent us to the TB ward. We stayed for one week, and then the doctor said no, he does not have TB. So we were sent back to 7C.
“He had not fully recovered and they discharged us.
“He was walking around, and the disease overwhelmed him again.
“The doctor took note of the sore in his throat and supplied us with medicine. Three weeks that we were at Four-Mile, he could not eat. He only drank tea but continuously had diarrhoea.
“That’s why we called St John Ambulance for assistance.
“This morning (December 25th) I came to collect some of his medicines and was advised to get the others from the pharmacy, so I was looking for money to buy them at the pharmacy. When I returned home and gave him the medicine, he could not drink them so one of our sons called the hotline and we got picked up.”
In the middle of the night when no PMV buses are running, and the only option is to get on a taxi, which is costly for the average Papua New Guinean, the free ambulance service is godsent and greatly appreciated.
“I am very happy that they have saved my son,” Lomsi said. “He was quickly brought to the hospital. If we had remained at home, I don’t know what would have happened. Thank you for helping us.”