Medics attribute child deaths to lack of food
By ALISON ANIS
PORT Moresby General Hospital staff have blamed two deaths at the children’s ward this year on a shortage of milk and other food supplies.
The latest death occurred three weeks ago at the children’s tuberculosis (TB) and malnutrition ward.
Interviews with the staff reveal that the two children have reportedly died from pneumonia and diarrhoea and believed this could have resulted from months without supplies of milk and highly nutritious protein food. One of the officers spoken to said all hospital wards have been without supplies of milk and other supplementary feeds for children since October last year.
He said the hospital for some reason did not provide the usual supply of milk and other protein food needed for children, especially at the TB ward.
“This has resulted in most children remaining under-nourished or not improving in their conditions because they were not taking in enough nutrition,” he added.
“There have been deaths but we cannot say this happened as result of shortage of milk and protein.
“The supplies that we had from October onwards were purely from donations made by people from outside including women’s groups from the United Church who visit us each week.
“The hospital did not provide any supplies.”
He said since October, parents have been forced to buy milk and other high protein foods for their children while the nurses try to ration the few supplies from donations.
According to the officer, four litres of milk is used for every feed each day from the 200g and 400g powdered milk. The total requirement is eight feeds per day from 6am to 9pm for infants who are undernourished.
“The children need supplementary feeds of high protein food.
“We are able to provide five to six cans of fish or meat with vegetables and greens but are unable to do that everyday due lack of supplies.”
He said there were no supplies in March for three weeks, and they were forced to ask for donations from outside.
The hospital was able to provide lunch for patients for the first time yesterday after The National published the story on Wed-nesday.
Prior to that, the hospital only provided breakfast and dinner while relatives were asked to bring food during lunch hour for in-patients.
PMGH chief executive officer Dr Alphonse Tay was unavailable for comments.
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