Concerned Lae residents have started a group called ‘Nogat Marasin Campaign’ to push provincial and national leaders to address the chronic shortage of medical drugs in hospitals and health centres.
Yesterday, the group organised a meeting with Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge, where they presented their petition, expressing deep concern regarding the absence of medicines in government-operated hospitals both within Morobe Province and across the nation.
The group, which consists of journalists, health workers, advocates and other professionals in Lae, believe that the people’s right to access basic health services is obstructed by administrative policies and procedures.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Sion Bingmalu said they have witnessed their loved ones being discharged from hospitals with prescriptions to purchase medicines from private pharmacies, which they often cannot afford. Average Papua New Guineans die from treatable diseases simply because they cannot afford to buy their own medicines.
He stressed on a review of the procurement process to make medical drugs more accessible to citizens.
“Streamlining this process will ensure that medicines and medical supplies reach our hospitals and clinics in a timely manner, addressing the current shortage crisis,” he told the Governor at Tutumang Haus.
The group further called on the provincial government to urgently address the medicine shortage in Morobe within seven days, and also increase the healthcare budget allocation from K500 million to K800 million.
When receiving the petition, Governor Wenge thanked the Lae residents for taking the initiative to fight for everyone in the province, and said he will raise this issue during the 2nd Provincial Governors Conference this week.
“I will call Tutumang very soon, after the governors’ conference, and before the Parliament sits,” said Wenge. “I will call a Tutumang and we are going to deal with this via a motion as a matter of public importance.
“We have to come up with a resolution and I’m sure we’ve put money in the budget for health. We can help with providing a portion of this money to attend to medicine. It’s going to be a serious debate.”
The ‘Nogat Marasin Campaign’ has stressed that the current state of healthcare in Morobe and Papua New Guinea demands immediate attention and action, hence the provincial government has been given seven days to make progressive steps towards addressing this longstanding issue before the group considers another plan of action.