Address our issues or we resign: Doctors

Five doctors currently attached with the Laloki Psychiatric Hospital have made a pact to hand in their resignation if the Department of Health does not address some of its pressing issues.

The hospital’s workforce structure is one of those issues.

The Director Medical Services at Laloki Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Ludwik Nanawar, says the hospital needs restructuring.

He said the restructure is important to address severe manpower issues the hospital is facing.

“Our manpower ceiling is 160. We have 27 vacancies. In terms of doctors there are only five of us, two specialist and three trainees,” stated Dr Nanawar.

“In fact, one of the trainees we trained has already graduated this year but can’t have a job because we don’t have a position for her.”

The restructure will also address the hospital’s salary issues.

Dr Nanawar says currently the hospital’s CEO and the two directors are sitting on the same salary grade, which is grade 16.   

Apart from that, while the staff have been compensated for the work they do in caring for the mentally ill patients, it could have been better.

“We got the restructure finalised by March this year only to find that the structure went to the department and got held up by the secretary,” said the Director Medical Services.

“The reasons they gave was that the hospital’s legal status has not been determined yet.

“We feel it’s unfair because we can’t be penalised because of Health Department’s own failure in putting in enabling policies and legislation we can function under. 

“Currently all hospitals in the country are given levels 1 to 7 based on the National Health Service Standards. Level 7 is Port Moresby General Hospital down to level 1 which is the aid posts.

“So all the health services in the country are aligned to one of these levels, except Laloki Psychiatric Hospital.”

The Health Department has told the hospital, it will carry out a workforce assessment this month before approving the restructure, which has already been drawn up by the hospital and approved by the Department of Personnel Management.

Dr Nanawar says if the department fails to approve the restructure or come up with a positive response a week after they complete the workforce assessment, the staff will take industrial action, even worse, the resignation of the five doctors working there.  

“If we stop work that means there will be stop to referral hospitals from outside and within Port Moresby, as this is the only Psychiatric Hospital in the country. 

“It will affect our services to Bomana Prison, and mobile clinics or services as well as affecting medical students’ teaching because we have students rotating through here as well.”

(Director Medical Services at Laloki Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Ludwik Nanawar)

Author: 
Charmaine Poriambep