Health Services on the brink of collapse?

 News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Only the HIV/AIDS and TB clinic are operating. All other medical services stopped.

Health Services on the brink of collapse?

PORT MORESBY: Two public health concerns are brewing and Papua New Guineans, especially the rural folk are likely to suffer dearly if the issues are not resolved quickly.

Two headlines published by The National on March 11, 2021 read:

> CHWs threaten for awards; and

> FINANCIAL constraints forcing hospital to partially close services.

The big question is: Where will Papua New Guineans get medical attention when they are sick?

More than 5,000 community health workers (CHWs) have given notice that they were preparing to go on strike after March 15, 2021 if their dues remain unsettled after a 13-year delay.

Such a strike will cripple health services in Government-run health facilities, non-governmental organisations, churches, universities and the three disciplined forces.

Already, the Mt Hagen General Hospital has stopped all its medical services from last Friday (March 12, 2021) - with only the HIV\AIDS and TB clinics to remain open for now.

The Government is now hard pressed to resolve the deteriorating public health services-related disputes or the majority of the rural folk will suffer in agony.

Read on for details of the issues as published by The National:

 

CHWs threaten strike for awards

March 11, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By LULU MARK
MORE than 5,000 community health workers (CHWs) nationwide have threatened to go on strike if the Government continues to ignore their awards review submission.
The PNG CHW Association president Dec Isaac told The National yesterday that CHWs worked in the country’s health facilities from aid-posts to hospitals.
“There is also a group of CHWs who work mainly in rural areas where 90 per cent of the population live,” she said. “They have waited for 13 years for the 2007 awards to be reviewed, including the successive awards.
“After 2010, negotiations began in 2014 but was abandoned in 2015 until now.
“I call on the Government, Department of Personnel Management and the Health Department to fast track the review submission on the terms and conditions of employment of CHWs.
“This is for all the CHWs, including those working in Government-run public health facilities, non-governmental organisations, churches, universities and the three disciplined forces,” Isaac said.
She said the review submission was shelved by some industrial officers from personnel in early 2015.
The delay caused misunderstandings between the hospital management, provincial health authority and others.
“The delay is not the association’s fault. Branch executives from Oro, Morobe and West New Britain are already in Port Moresby to give support for the industrial strike,” she said. “Failure by the two departments to address this issue will result in mass withdrawal of the work force.
“We are giving one week to these two departments to address this issue promptly.
“After March 15, if we do not receive a (positive) response, we will go ahead with the strike.
“Other unions are awarded and we too should be treated the same.
“We are the frontline workers in the Covid-19 pandemic that have been overlooked,” she said.
The awards included allowance for overtime, risk/service, uniform, housing, mental health, 25 shift (25 per cent), radiation and clinical.
Health Department industry officer Mulina Kwalmu told The National that the CHWs awards had not been paid.
“A review was done in 2014 but the negotiations stopped,” he said.
“The Department of Personnel Management (DPM) is the chief negotiator for the state and it has the power to call for negotiations.
“I will return to office next week and will call for a meeting with the association,” Kwalmu said.

Financial constrains forcing hospital to partially close services

March 11, 2021The NationalNational

By ELIAS LARI
FINANCIAL constraints are forcing Mt Hagen General Hospital to stop all its medical services from tomorrow (Friday) – with only the HIV/AIDS and TB clinics to remain open for now.
Western Highlands health authority chief executive officer David Vorst said: “We are sorry but it is beyond our control after our budget was cut to about K6.5 million.
“No one wants to see service reductions.
“We (had) hoped it does not come to this but we must plan for that possible outcome which is inevitable unless we get more funding.”
The services stopped include those at the adult and children’s out-patient departments, consultation clinic, well baby clinic and all elective surgery.
Medical services in rural and urban health facilities in the province are also affected.
Vorst said the stoppage of medical services was decided in a special meeting by the senior executive management yesterday.
“This is in light of drastic cuts to the authority’s budget of K6.5 million.
“We just cannot operate without money, so we have to scale down operations drastically and to the minimum.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Growing unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea

Image
News that matter in Papua New Guinea Growing unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea (Employment stagnant since 2014) PORT MORESBY: Employment in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has remained stagnant since 2014 with millions of unemployed looking for jobs. The formal job market currently can only accommodate between 400,000 and 500,000, Institute of National Affairs executive director Paul Barker says. “As more young people enter the job market this year after graduating from tertiary institutions and schools, the chances of securing formal employment is slim. “Employment had remained stagnant despite the increase in potential workers coming out of educations institutions,” he added. Read on for more details as published by The National : Hard to get jobs January 27, 2022 The National Main Stories By DALE LUMA MILLIONS of eligible workers around the country are looking for jobs in the formal sector, which currently can ...
Read more

Sugu Valley tribal war death toll rises to at least 30

Image
News that matters in Papua New Guinea Armed tribal warriors on the move in Sugu Valley. Sugu Valley tribal war death toll rises to at least 30 PORT MORESBY: At least six tribes have been fighting in Sugu Valley (Kagua-Erave, Southern Highlands) since Feb 10, 2019, without any signs of an end and peace. In fact, the death toll has risen to at least 30, up from 11 on May 23, 2019, and the opening of a new battlefront in Sumbura near Poroma with multiple deaths reported in 24 wards. Armed tribal warriors on the march into the forests and jungles. PNG Cyber Monitor had on a May 25, 2019, posting ( https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2019/05/real-life-rifles-bows-and-arrows-bloody.html Real life rifles, bows and arrows bloody fights in PNG ) highlighted the bloody battle waged by tribal warriors armed with rifles, bows and arrows and knives. PNG Cyber Monitor is again highlighting the plight of the villagers who have been living in fear as reported by The Nationa...
Read more

Sorcery shame for Papua New Guinea in X’mas

Image
News that matter in Papua New Guinea Sorcery tortures and violence are still being practised in Papua New Guinea in this 21st Century digital era. Sorcery shame for Papua New Guinea in X’mas PORT MORESBY: It was international shame for Papua New Guinea (PNG) this Christmas when sorcery reared its ugly head. Six women were stripped, bound to poles and burnt with hot knives as they screamed in pain, watched by an unsympathetic crowd. In a video that has gone viral in the internet, the women were accused of practising sorcery in Southern’s Enga. Police Comm David Manning described the sorcery torture as vile, inhumane, uncivilised, void of any human decency. “Papua New Guinea cannot progress without letting go of these horrific traditional beliefs. We have launched an urgent probe into the incident in Aiya’s Pawayamo village in Kagua-Erave.” The news break was published by The National : Horror torture of women Decem...
Read more