Health Department

Public servants still locked out

Health Department workers were still locked outside their Waigani office this morning when this newsroom visited them.

Despite the dull day, Health Department staff still went to work but only to find out again that their offices were still locked.

They arrived at work at 8am and sat outside the entrance of the Department office, with hopes that a senior officer will inform them whether the office was going to be reopened or not.

Some had personal items still in the office and were concerned.

​Dept, hospitals to tackle medical drugs issue

They will identify available funds and support the services to approach local pharmacies and suppliers to purchase items which are in short supply.

Secretary for Health, Pascoe Kase, said there should be no reason for patients to purchase supplies that should be available directly to the health system.

Kase reiterated his comments from last week stating that this was a complex issue in the rapidly growing country, with understandably increasing expectations and standards.

Kase defends procurement of medical drugs

Kase said it was incorrect to say that the unavailability of medical supplies in the country relates to poor procurement practices by the National Department of Health.

He said the procurement of medical drugs and equipment were complex but had been successful in the last five years.

Kase clarified that the Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTB) awards the contract to the company involved in the distribution of medical kits in the country. 

​Public hospitals should not charge fees

All should be following the intent of the Government’s free healthcare policy.

This was made clear by the Secretary of the Health Department, Pascoe Kase.

In a statement, Kase says while the policy does allow for charging a reduced rate for specialist services, these should be the exception rather than the rule in public hospitals.

He made this statement in response to an article published in one of the local dailies which quoted an anonymous source claiming that Modilon General Hospital in Madang was charging for the provision of health care.

Girls get vaccinated against HPV

 PNG Against Cervical Cancer team, led by Gynaecologist Dr Lutty Amos from the Well Woman Centre in Konedobu have been going around schools in NCD vaccinating girls aged between 9 and 14 years.

The program commenced on May 1 following awareness workshops carried out in the schools last month. It ends at the end of May.  This is only the first dose of the HPV vaccination.

Girls who were vaccinated so far had consent forms signed by their parents and guardians.  

Health Support Workers issue threats to strike

PNGHSWA General Secretary Jack Suao issued the threats that will greatly affect all medical facilities throughout the country during this National Election period.

Suao in a media conference today said, the 14 days’ notice is because of the long delay by the Arbitration Tribunal Board to hear its outstanding logs of claims dating back to 2016.

He said this is because there is no Arbitration Tribunal Board in place to hear their log of claims.

Health support workers plan stop work

Over 3000 frustrated heath support workers, at all hospitals across the country, from cleaners and administration staff to bio engineers and technicians, morgue attendants and laundry staff, are ready to walk off. 

The planned strike will be taken against the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) for prolonged delay on the log of claims which includes housing allowance, pay increase, leave entitlements and other industrial matters. 

WNB Governor presents K500,000 to YWAM

Governor Sasindran Muthuvel on Thursday presented a cheque of K500,000 to the YWAM.

The funding was for the medical ship to bring the health services closer to the people in Bali Witu, Kandrian Coastal, Gasmata , Kove Kaliai and Gloucester and Kandrian Inland areas where they have not received any proper medical services.

“For the first time, we can address through this arrangement to carry out various medical operations such as dental operations and many other medical treatments.”

Hotel evicted Dr Niblett over unpaid bills: Kouza

Member for Lae, Loujaya Kouza, says he is now living at another hotel while doing locum rounds at the cancer facility at Angau Memorial Hospital.

Kouza brought this to the attention of Parliament today seeking the health minister’s response on Dr Niblett’s payments.

The payments, she said, are from an order made by the court to the department to pay the doctor.

Minister Michael Malabag said Dr Niblett’s contract with the department expired in February 2016. However, it was extended for another three months to May of that same year.

Lynda Babao–O’Neill launches vaccine to prevent cervical cancer

The official launching took at the Parliament State Function room yesterday.

The launching is the start of the pilot program to vaccinate girls aged 14 to 19, nationwide in the following years.

The vaccination program will start in the National Capital District in 65 Primary Schools, covering 20,000 girls, beginning in the first week of April, and then will be rolled out across the country in 2018.