ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital

Susan is from Mul-Baiyer in Western Highlands Province.

She worked as a nurse in West New Britain Province for 15 years. During that time, she suffered constant physical abuse at the hands of her husband.

“It’s not something to be ashamed of; I’m going to tell my story so young women like you can take better care of themselves,” she said as she gently touched my arm.

“He used to beat me up, over and over, especially targeting my head. I’ve had this sore on my head for almost seven years now. I went to Port Moresby; they scraped it off but it soon started up again.

A health worker painted a distressful picture at the ANGAU outpatient, saying they have noted an increase in the number of the multidrug-resistant TB patients from the catchment area at Buimo.

Describing the situation as “scary”, he said they can only control MDR-TB if initial patients, who are on 6-month treatment, are on medication consecutively; no missing treatment, no running short of drugs.

Multidrug-resistant TB is more costly than TB, meaning the government will have to spend more.

This year they received over K40 million while chief executive officer of the Morobe Provincial Health Authority, Dr Kipas Binga, said once completed, the redeveloped ANGAU would require an estimated amount of K50 million to run it.

“The operational budget consists of personal emoluments (PE), goods and services, fuel, and other normal operations,” said Dr Binga.

Currently admitted at the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital, the 34-year-old said the issue started when a local man was beheaded.

“To appease his relatives, the community identified the suspect and chopped him up,” said Aking.

“He died whilst being brought to the hospital.

“However, the relatives of the first victim were not satisfied as they believed that more people were involved.

“They enlisted the help of outsiders and at 4am, they came into the village and surrounded us.”

All proceeds raised from the golf event, which is set for Friday, February 3^rd, will go towards the purchase of much-needed patient drugs.

“Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited will once again host its annual charity golf challenge under a new format that will see the Inaugural Charity Golf challenge in Lae, which will coincide with World Cancer Day.”

Lae Golf Club is encouraging companies, groups and individuals to register a team now.

“You can get a flyer and registration form for those companies or individuals who may be interested in putting in a team.”

Harmony Gold staff from the Hidden Valley mine in Bulolo district made the long drive to present the items to the Lae Cancer Treatment Centre.

The cervical cancer screening items included 13 rapid Pap smear kits, 1,000 cytology sterile brush and 200 microscopic glass slides.

When presenting the items, Hidden Valley’s superintendent community engagement from the community affairs department, Benjamin Kamaya, said this was made possible through staff involvement. 

The National Cancer Services at the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital, in Lae, has been without the isotope, cobalt-60, to use in radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

This has been the situation for 15 years.

The Acting Director of curative health services with the Morobe Provincial Health Authority, Dr Steven James, emphasised that a multi-disciplinary approach is required to treat cancer.

Sponsored by Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited, all proceeds from the event will go towards the cancer treatment facility at the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital.

The charity golf challenge will tee off on February 4^th, coinciding with World Cancer Day.

KPHL executive general manager corporate affairs, Luke Liria, said the golf challenge, which will be an annual event, aims to acquire chemotherapy drugs and other consumables used in cancer treatment.

The facilities are part of the new infrastructure built under the hospital’s redevelopment supported by the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership.  

The new Waste Management Facility will lift the standard of operations and enable a safer, more hygienic process for waste removal and processing. Better layout, process improvements, and handling of hospital waste means a safer working environment for staff, and better outcomes for patients.

One year since the Birthing Ward opened, more than 11,700 babies have been born at the new facility.  

The new Birthing Ward consists of 10 private birthing suites, and eight observation beds. The Birthing Ward with specialised equipment is one component of the ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment project supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the PNG Government.