Health workers

Green Angels appreciated

The festive period is no different; work continues for law enforcers and health workers, including primary emergency ambulance service providers like St John Ambulance.

Twenty-three cases were attended by the Lae-based team on December 25th, and one of them involved an elderly mother, Lomsi Joe, and her son.

They are from Finschhafen, in Morobe Province, but live with a Kabwum woman, Essie Malabu, at her home at Four-Mile, in Lae, to be closer to the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital.

Work in rural PNG: Nurse

Lae district nursing officer, Sr Manzia Bomiringnu, outlined this during the commemoration of International Nurses Day as well as the 50th golden jubilee of the PNG Nurses Association on Friday, May 12th.

 Sr Bomiringnu has 43 years of service under her belt.

She said those in public health started in the bushes.

Lae nurses, CHWs appreciated

The PNG Nurses Association, which was formally registered on December 12th, 1972, has over 4,000 members.

The Morobe chapter of nurses had morning devotion before their executives spoke of the vital roles they play, the passion to serve and adhering to their code of conduct.

Long-serving nurses and community health workers were also called up to the front and acknowledged for their services.

Among them was 66-year-old Sr Martha Marampau, who has been serving the nation for 47 years.

Health workforce crisis

It was an opportunity for the National Capital District Provincial Health Authority and the Port Moresby General Hospital management to meet in the hope of setting the pace on improving health service delivery to the 1 million plus residents of the NCD and Central Province and all who seek medical assistance from Port Moresby General Hospital.  

PHA insurance helps nurses

It was announced at a media conference, that PHA has helped many patients already in accessing specialist medical care; its biggest client the PNG Nursing Association and its members.

Pacific Health Assurance understands the situation in PNG where patients struggle to access essential medical care especially specialist medical care.

A couple of PHA’s policyholders with the PNG Nurses Association shared their stories. 

Joe Korowa has had problems with his spine and needed an MRI scan. His fortnightly contribution to PHA will now cover this medical expense.

Health Workers Graduate

The certificates attained are for NCD Provincial Health Authority Family Planning Trainees. Officiating at this milestone achievement of courageous health workers was, Deputy Director of NCDPHA, Dr. Robin Oge who presented certificates to 11 women and 1 male.              

These lifesavers continue on their journey after this helping their clinics help the people.  

Training For AROB Health Workers

AROB has launched the training that will equip its health workers with vital knowledge, skills and confidence on COVID-19 vaccination.

Central Region Rural Health Services Director, Peter Arwin in opening the training on behalf the Secretary for Health, underscored the critical role of health workers in increasing demand generation and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine.

Threatened Because Of Policy

CEO of the Morobe Provincial Health Authority, Dr Kipas Binga, said his staff have received phone threats and were verbally harassed because of this policy.

As frontliners, health workers are bearing the brunt of people’s anger and frustrations as COVID-19 vaccination is being pushed down their throats.

Covid virus may have killed 80k-180k health workers, WHO says

Healthcare workers must be prioritised for vaccines, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, and he criticised unfairness in the distribution of jabs.

The deaths occurred between January 2020 and May of this year.

Earlier, another senior WHO official warned a lack of jabs could see the pandemic continue well into next year.

There are an estimated 135 million healthcare workers globally.

"Data from 119 countries suggest that on average, two in five healthcare workers globally are fully vaccinated," Dr Tedros said.

Health Workers Urged To Get Vaccinated

"While vaccine remains optional I am encouraging everyone to get vaccinated. Vaccines save lives. 

“There is a relative increase in vaccination, but it is still a tiny margin. We still have a long way to go before we reach that satisfactory target many countries have already reached for their people.

Also, in recognizing the dangerous operating environment health care staff work in, the Prime Minister further directed the Department of Health to immediately identify and implement health insurance options for all frontline health workers.