Prime Minister James Marape told Parliament today that he will present to the floor the full report on the medication that had fatal effects on the lives of seven patients at the Port Moresby General Hospital, after they had undergone surgery.
The PM admitted, “As I speak today, nogat wanpla report mipla kisim. Mipla askim Health Minister through POMGEN long displa ol incidents so mipla ken establishim if disla marasin em cause blong disla ol incidents.”
He was responding to a series of questions raised by East Sepik Governor Allan Bird on the use of sub-standard medication that enters the country through our sub-standard procurement system.
Governor Bird said, “We have had several issues with Borneo Pharmaceutical which I believe is the supplier of this medication. I want to know why is it that we can’t seem to pull out of (this arrangement)?”
Borneo Pharmaceutical Company is one of the major companies that is engaged by the Government to procure and distribute drugs and medical kits to hospitals in the country.
The Prime Minister revealed that Borneo Pharmaceutical Company is on its last year of a three-year contract. He also defended that it is not the only company supplying drugs to hospitals.
Last week Health Secretary Dr. Osborne Liko issued an instruction to identify and isolate the batch of anesthetic drug called Propofol Injection IP 10mg/mL vial (1% W/V), at all private and public hospitals.
This newsroom understands this is the drug that had fatal effects leading to the deaths of four people, including Late 14-year-old Rex Wanzing.
Dr. Liko said the health Ministry has undertaken an inquest into the incidents.