National Doctors Association

NDA president, Dr James Naipao, said: “The first one was done by Jason Sharp, a visiting interventional cardiologist from Sydney Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital. With the assistance and supervision by Dr. Sharp and his Australian team, Dr. Wesong Boko (PNG’s own interventional cardiologist) and his PNG team did the next lot of eight diagnostics angiography successfully without any complication.

“Few more were on the waiting bay to have their turn.

Earlier this year, Dr. Gunzee Gawin was suspended by the board for alleged maladministration. He was then reinstated but on December 3^rd, the board made the decision to suspend him again. This was after he was arrested and charged by the fraud squad with three counts of conspiracy to defraud, misappropriation of property and abuse of office.

NDA president Dr James Naipao pointed out that our democracy gives the right to a defendant to defend him/herself before a concrete decision is made.

Some of the questions outlined by Dr Naipao included:

“In the year APEC 2018, whilst schools were running low on resources, the government kept saying it was taking control of the situations, and yet, schools continued to face problems,” said Dr James Naipao in a statement.

“When polio that was declared free suddenly emerges with 25 confirmed cases, tuberculosis drug resistance disease hitting the country, and health facilities facing shortage of drugs and consumable, and yet, the Health Department and the Health Minister come out in the media to cushion the real situation on the ground by saying everything is okay.

The National Doctors Association says hospital services will be on emergency mode. The scale down started yesterday (June 18^th).

For the time being, five medical officers will be on the ground to cover 5 emergency areas:

President of the National Doctors Association, James Naipao, told this newsroom that the doctors are currently in the vicinity and within the premises of the hospital.

“If the civil unrest goes out of hand, they will be evacuated at the request of the doctors in Mendi,” said Dr Naipao.

Meantime, over 200 troops are set to be deployed to Mendi.

The PNGDF soldiers have just landed in Mt Hagen. From there, they will travel up to Mendi.

Dr James Naipao is urging his colleagues to stay indoors and keep their mobile phones charged and on, as it is important to communicate amongst themselves, besides briefing NDA.

“Keep calm and get police contacts on the ground. Not everyone in Mendi is involved in this one,” stated Dr Naipao.

“Your management must have an emergency evacuation plan in place immediately.

“This civil unrest is highly politically motivated.”

The NDA president labelled yesterday’s destruction and burning as a ‘very, very sad day for PNG’.

Dr James Naipao, president of the National Doctors Association, responded to this newsroom when asked about our leaders’ alleged plans to close Facebook.

Dr Naipao said mass monitoring and controlling of the media, including the social media, by the government lacks foresight and is a knee jerk decision.

“Our elected leaders should be subjected to criticisms, must be open for correction and must be reported for the wrong doings,” said the NDA president.

“No leader should be immune to that. Immunity is found in other forms of government, but not in our democracy.”

That is why the police have been given 10 days – starting on May 22 – to arrest and bring to court the 6 men who attacked Dr Dean Wahembari on Saturday evening.

Dr Wahembari was at North Waigani to pick up his son when he was attacked by a PNG Defence Force soldier and his cohorts.

“This is a concern now,” says the President of the National Doctors Association, Dr. James Naipao.

Dr Naipao was referring to the Port Moresby General Hospital redevelopment plan.

“The Board of PMGH and Management might think otherwise. This statement stands to be corrected if otherwise there is one.

National Doctors Association Secretary, Dr Sam Yockopua, stated that NDA in the last 2 weeks has been trying to come to terms with a brutally assaulted doctor.

He said a very senior doctor who has contributed immensely to PNG Defence Force, the PNG Sports Federation, PNG Olympic Committee Medical key person, PNG Hunters main doctor, a strong doctor in the private sector, and a very senior well respected member of the medical fraternity, Dr. Gideon Kendino, was attacked and shot by criminal elements.