No more overseas treatment -PMGH has its very own Cath Lab
Port Moresby General Hospital on Tuesday launched a world-class advanced catheterization laboratory machine, to perform invasive heart treatment in the country and the Pacific Islands.
The availability of this machine will now stop patients from traveling overseas for treatment.
Head of Catheterization Laboratory and Intervention cardiologist Dr. Wesong Boko says the cath lab will detect early diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions locally, providing life-saving interventions such as angioplasty and stenting for blocked arteries and others.
“Today we have witnessed the commissioning of most cutting edge machine same as one you will find anywhere around the world and our program is actually the latest one.
“Initially it was difficult for us to do many cases but now we can even triple or four times the patient turnover," Dr. Boko said.
Dr. Boko said with the help of this machine they can do cases with the brain, stroke, heart attack, cancer and many more.
The equipment was purchased by Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited [KPHL] at a cost of over K5 million under an agreement with the hospital.
KPHL Managing Director, Wapu Sonk who was at the launch with the Prime minister said this program was initiated after a verbal policy direction.
"Can you work with PMGH and Angau Hospital and stop Papua New Guineans travelling overseas?’
“No written policy, just verbal and that’s why we are here. I am grateful that this will help many people,” Mr. Sonk said.
The details of invasive heart treatment
Dr. Boko says the two important functions the new cat lab will perform include angiography and stenting.
Angiography is a medical imaging technique that will be used to visualize the inside of the blood vessels and organs of the body particularly the arteries, veins, and the heart chambers.
It will allow doctors to identify blockages or abnormalities in the blood flow, often related to conditions like heart disease, stroke, or peripheral artery disease.
Stenting is another procedure they will perform in the new cat lab.
“Stenting is a procedure in which a tube-like device called stent is placed into a narrowed or blocked blood vessel to keep it open. This is done after angioplasty where a balloon is used to widen the vessel to treat the blockages in the arteries or veins.
“In terms of cost, per stent will cost K3, 000 and for one angiogram is between K5, 000 to K8, 000.
"This cheaper because when you go overseas the same treatment you get here will cost you over a hundred thousand,” Dr. Boko said.
“For the past 1328 patients treated, over one-quarter of them haven’t paid anything because they had no money, so we did it free of charge.
“Here we are not really pushing for money. If the government can subsidize it will be really good for us," Dr. Boko said.
Prime Minister James Marape was impressed with the new approach the country’s biggest hospital has undertaken and pledged the government’s support.
PMGH CEO wants comprehensive heart, kidney and cancer services by 2025
With the launch of the state-of-the-art technology launched, an adamant PMGH CEO, Dr. Paki Molumi is keen to see Port Moresby take the lead in providing heart, kidney, and cancer treatment.
He says PMGH is the national referral and research hospital now working hard to deliver a comprehensive heart, kidney and cancer program by 2025.
“After country celebrating 50th anniversary, our people don’t need to travel overseas for these diseases.
"We provide these services in our country. We are politically independent, we must be health independent as well," Dr. Molumi said.
