NCD Death Rate High

Port Moresby General Hospital CEO, Dr. Paki Molumi said today there is an increase in the number of deaths arriving at the hospital.

He said the hospital has now reached a crisis point. Cases of the COVID-19 Delta Variant has added to the current situation.

Dr. Molumi said the hospital is struggling with manpower to save lives and also to manage the dead.

“The Delta Variant is aggressively attacking people with 87 percent of the patients who showed symptoms of COVID-19 were tested positive to the disease.”

He said the hospital has also recorded a high number of people with breathing problems at the Emergency ward and dead bodies arriving at one time to be stored at the mortuary.

“In the last three days, starting Monday we have received 50 deaths on arrival. These people died at home and brought to our mortuary to be stored.

“On Tuesday we received 40 deaths on arrival. On Wednesday, we received 30 deaths. This is something we have not seen in the previous years or months. So we are faced with a situation where we have to look after the living to save their lives but also manage the dead,” added Dr. Molumi.

He said the hospital is planning to conduct a mass burial of 200 bodies so it can clear more space for bodies lying outside the mortuary.

There are bodies lying outside the morgue waiting for a space to be stored because bodies are stacked on top of one another.”

Despite the situation on the ground, NCD Governor, Powes Parkop has not indicated a lockdown for NCD. He is encouraging residents to get vaccinated.

The NCD PHA and St John Ambulance are also pleading with the public to help our already overwhelmed health system and get vaccinated to minimize the risks of COVID-related deaths, and to prevent more people from seeking treatment for COVID-19.

Author: 
Jemimah Sukbat