Madang provincial hospital described a ‘death trap’

The President of the National Nurse's Association of Papua New Guinea, Frederick Kebai, said the Madang Provincial Hospital is a 'death trap.'

He said this after walking through the hospital wards with nursing officers yesterday.

Mr Kebai and his executives of the PNG National Nurse's Association are currently in Madang to introduce the Nursing Savings and Loans Society and its insurance policy to members.

However, after their first day of meeting yesterday, Mr Kebai and his executives decided to have a look around the hospital, especially the wards.

Apparently, what they saw was quite appalling and disheartening, which led him to describe the hospital, 'a death trap', not only for the patients but the health workers as well.

"After I toured the Madang Provincial Hospital facilities and seeing how the nurses work, I can tell the hospital is a death trap not only for the patients seeking services here but for the health workers as well. I had trained here as a nurse in the early 1990s, and coming back here and seeing the hospital dilapidated and in a rundown state is a very sad thing. It is not fit for patients to receive services, and also, it is not fit for health workers to work here," Mr Kebai said.

One thing Mr Kebai and his executives also found out yesterday was that all in-house patients at the hospital, including those from the labor ward, the A&E, medical ward, and almost all the wards, are using only one ablution block.

Mr Kebai stated, "As we speak now, the A and E is in a very bad state, not even equipped with any latest technology to save lives, and I see it as a death trap too, where patients come and die."

After noticing that all patients at the hospital are using only one toilet and one shower facility, Mr Kebai made a call on the hospital management to make sure each ward has a separate ablution block.

He pointed out this practice to be unconducive, adding it is a mode of transmission of other diseases to other patients and to the guardians.

"Almost all units are in a very rundown condition and not fit to serve patients. Staff are getting sick because they are working in a very unhealthy environment. With all these conditions, we, as the union, would like to see our nurses working in a state-of-the-art hospital and in a conducive environment that must be well- equipped with medicine and state-of-the-art equipment to serve the people.

Mr Kebai stressed his only appeal to all Madang MPs is to come to a round table and strategize a way forward to rebuild the hospital.

He added Madang Provincial Hospital serves the entire population of Madang Province it is their responsibility to ensure their people get the best health services possible.

He also extended the same appeal to the National Government through the Prime Minister and the Health Minister.