There are two separate COVID-19 isolation facilities at 11-Mile outside Lae.
NKW has its own setup while an adjacent facility comes under the Morobe Provincial Health Authority.
Residents and health workers have been raising questions regarding the 11-Mile isolation facility within the NKW premises.
The matter was brought to the fore on March 17th when staff at the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital held a forum at the ANGAU chapel and called for their own isolation facility.
Families and communities have shunned medical workers who have been exposed to the virus.
Lae media asked the Morobe Provincial Health Authority CEO to clarify whether members of the public can use the facility, at which Dr Kipas Binga said it was a private setup.
The Lae MP, on the other hand, said the facility was paid by taxpayers’ funds hence it should be used by the public.
“I will get to the bottom of it when I talk to the CEO for ANGAU and the Morobe health authority chairman. But to my understanding, the facility should be open to the public, (to) whoever that is referred from the ANGAU COVID facility.”
On Friday, the 09th of April, NKW presented the media the opportunity to tour the premises.
NKW CEO, Marlen Brunskill, said the company’s isolation facility is built next to the health authority’s, which has 40 beds.
“I find it very disturbing that we’ve got this outbreak now and we’ve got a facility here that we’re not utilising a hundred percent. The doors are there, they just have to follow the process. And the simple way to do that is communicate.”
