The Kiunga Hospital received lifesaving medical equipment comprising of an aspirator (suction machine) and two oxygen concentrators from landowner trust company last Friday.
MRCMCAH is the landowner trust company that owns 12 per cent of the OK Tedi Mine shares on behalf of the 152 villages from the eight CMCA regions of North Fly, Middle Fly, Kiwaba, Highway, North Ok Tedi, Suki Fly Gogo, Manawete and Dudi region in the Western Province.
The equipment is valued at K20, 000 and MRCMCAH Chairman, James Assan made the presentation to the hospital witnessed by representatives from MRCMCAH, MRDC and the hospital.
Health Manager for the North Fly District, Rody Ukin thanked Mr Assan and MRDC for delivering the much-needed equipment, explained that the hospital had been without these equipment for a while and the donation was timely. The equipment would be used to treat patients.
Mr Ukin said that the oxygen concentrators would assist its asthmatic patients while the aspirator will be used in the operating theatre.
“Aspirators and oxygen concentrators are basic but vital, life-saving equipment that all our hospitals, regardless of their location in the country, should have and I’m happy to be able to support our Kiunga hospital.
“Kiunga Hospital serves majority of the population of Western Province including my people along the eight CMCA regions - they travel into Kiunga to access health care and treatment at the hospital and this donation, though small, will go a long way in saving lives,” Mr Assan said.
The equipment was purchased from India last year under Mr Assan’s Public Relations Funds, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the equipment only arrived mid this year.
Public Relations Funds are funds approved and allocated to each director of the MRCMCAH trustee company to use as response to community expectations and these funds are tied to community-supported initiatives such as health, education, law and order and sports among others.