Dr Kipas Binga

Chief executive officer of the Morobe Provincial Health Authority, Dr Kipas Binga, issued this warning when receiving the K3.5 million cheque from the Morobe Provincial Government yesterday in Lae.

“For instance, the unit cost to provide appendicetomy (removing appendix) is costing the government K39,000. For trauma and head injuries, the cost is K56,000 for one patient.

CEO of the Morobe Provincial Health Authority, Dr Kipas Binga, said while a mass burial is being planned, the date is yet to be set.

On Saturday, the 6^th of November, staff at the mortuary and relatives of the deceased tidied up two of the three containers.

Bodies were taken out and piled in a row, the container was cleaned then the bodies were stacked neatly back inside.

The final container was cleaned on Sunday.

Residents who are yet to claim their bodies are urged to do so before the bodies are buried at a mass grave at Second-Seven.

Morobe Provincial Health Authority CEO, Dr Kipas Binga, said the national procurement system hinders the timely delivery of medical drugs and consumables.

Ordinary Papua New Guineans are forced to buy their own medicine when seeking treatment at the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital.

Those suffering from intense pain get a prescription from ANGAU to buy their morphine from pharmacies or other private hospitals; a costly and burdensome exercise for ordinary citizens.

Dr Kipas Binga said when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic early last year, the national government gave the MPHA K200,000.

Then towards the end of last year, K4 million was committed to Morobe, where the PHA received K2 million.

“After we’ve used the money – at least 70-80 percent of the money – we were promised that another K2 million will be coming forth after we produce acquittals and so forth,” stated Dr Binga.

“The New Zealand government also gave us money to the tune of K170,000,” he stated.

The 74 workshop participants are awaiting screening while the Morobe Provincial Health Authority Rapid Response Team has commenced contact tracing and testing.

The CEO of the Morobe Provincial Health Authority, Dr Kipas Binga, confirmed that the 37-year-old man is part of the Health Department’s COVID-19 response team who were collaborating with the World Health Organisation to run a training in Lae.