St John Ambulance was out in full force during the New Year celebrations. Six ambulance units were on the road and more than 28 ambulance officers, paramedics and clinical crews on duty from 6pm to 6am.
Thirty six cases and incidents were attended to across the city.
Over half of these were trauma cases involving alcohol fuelled incidents of violence including a number of stabbings. Majority of the incidents occurred between 12:30am and 2am.
“St John has always been busy with emergency operations in Port Moresby during the New Year’s,” said St John Ambulance CEO Matt Cannon. “We are generally concerned about the availability of cheap high-strength liquor in NCD.”
“Our ambulance crews are seeing the violent effects of becoming heavily intoxicated on such cheap, strong liquor,” he added.
St John Ambulance supports calls by NCD/Central Commander ACP Anthony Wagambie Jr, the Royal PNG Constabulary and the National Capital District Commission, to review laws on the sale of cheap, high-strength liquor in NCD, with an important view that vulnerable people in our communities must be protected.
