PMGH short on doctors and nurses

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

THE Port Moresby General Hospital is down on manpower by 300 nurses and 60 doctors to cater for the pressing needs, hospital board chairman Sir George Constantinou said Monday .
Sir George said the hospital is in the process of recruiting foreign doctors and nurses on a trial basis to fill the shortfall in medical and nursing staff.
“We are in the process of recruiting foreign doctors and nurses on a trial basis until a permanent arrangement is made by the government to fill the human resource shortage,” Sir George said.
Chief Executive Officer Sam Vegogo also reiterated that he would love to have foreign doctors and additional nurses as of today but that is not possible as there are other issues to be addressed by government agencies Labor and Employment, Foreign Affairs and others to ensure proper paperwork is done for them to travel to Port Moresby.
Mr Vegogo said Minister Malabag had already made an undertaking to take this matter up as a matter of urgency, including talking to the executives of the Nurses and Doctors Association to seek their understanding on the urgent issue of lack of human resource in the health sector.
Sir George and Mr Vegogo said this during the presentation of a K5 million cheque by Health Minister Malabag for the completion of refurbishment work on the Accidents and Emergency Unit of the Port Moresby general hospital.
“There will be major reforms in the health sector to ensure the people feel the health services right up to their doorsteps,” Mr Malabag said.
“I will be talking with relevant government agencies and unions that we are running short of manpower at all the hospitals throughout the country. “If we are short, lets go and recruit whether domestic or internationally to meet this shortfall. Our people’s lives are at stake and we cannot be pussy-footing around,” Mr Malabag said.
He said the much publicised free basic health care will not be implemented until after he brings amendments to the Hospital Act in Parliament for hospitals to start providing free basic health by early next year.
He said the government will crack down on hospital boards that have become a hindrance to health service delivery and these boards to come under complete overhaul.
They are Daru, Popondetta, Kimbe and Boram hospitals The change to the boards will be in compliance with health standards.