Kundiawa General Hospital
faces acute fuel shortage

By JAMES KILA
KUNDIAWA General Hospital in Simbu province is faced with an acute shortage of fuel, according to concerned board chairman Gerald Philips.
The fuel shortage was attributed to trucking companies not bringing in fuel supplies to the Simbu provincial capital due to Monday’s massive landslip at Daulo Pass in Eastern Highlands province.
Mr Philips said the hospital was heavily reliant on a diesel generator to provide power when there is power blackout. With fuel not being transported to Kundiawa , it had become a major problem at the hospital.
He said he was very concerned over power supply to the obstetrics ward where mothers give birth, and the emergency section of the hospital.
Mr Philips, who is also the president of the Kundiawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said stores in Kundiawa were also affected with shortages of basic food items.
He said from his random visits and reports from shop owners in the town, items that were in very short supply yesterday were rice, salt, beer and cigarettes.
Depot manager of Mainland Holdings Transport based in Goroka Kuri Meninga told The National yesterday that Simbu people are very fond of flour and most of the wholesalers order them in tonnes to supply to customers.
He said Simbu surpassed other provinces in the Highlands region in their orders of flour. “But the major landslip at Daulo Pass affected the customers very badly,” Mr Meninga said.