What’s more distressing for the township of Daru in Western Province is the lack of medicinal supply at the Daru Hospital.
Coupled with the lack of basic services in water and electricity supply on the island is even a serious issue for its local government to address. Several residents have raised concerns and are hoping something is done.
Daru Hospital CEO, Dr Niko Wuatai confirmed the shortage of medicine and said some money was recently allocated to buy medicine supply in Port Moresby and they are still waiting.
He said there is no proper process in place to fast track the purchase of medicines as he just joined the hospital and is not aware of the process involved.
“There was no proper process, as to how medicine was bought for Daru General Hospital. Medicine is a problem in Daru and South Fly. Distribution of medicine is done evenly but is running out fast and we down at the moment,” Dr Wuatai said.
He said WPHA is working hard with representatives from all three districts in ensuring that medicines will soon be made available in the province soon.
Meanwhile, patients have either been turned back or asked to use other means of medication or home therapy depending on the medical condition.
In the out stations of South Fly, health services in Morehead, Wipim and Suki remains a big problem, the aid posts or clinics are run down or condemned and it is also difficult to get medicine into the areas.
Dr Wuatai said getting medicine is also a very expensive exercise for the hospital. “We trying our best to get supplies into Daru. We buy all sorts of medicine for different use in the hospital and some of the medicine we need here is very expensive to buy.”
The only means of transportation in the South Fly district to get medical services into the villages is by sea transport.
With the province declared a ‘hot spot’ of COVID-19, due to being a border province the lack of medicinal supplies is a threat to the health of the people.