By JASON SOM KAUT
VICTIMS of domestic and social violence including sexually abused children can now expect better medical and social care from the Angau Memorial General Hospital.
This follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday between the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae and Medecins Sans Frontieres-Holland (Doctors without Borders).
The signing paves the way to improve the current functional capacity of the hospital in providing health care to the victims through its newly established Women and Children’s Support Centre (WCSC).
The MoU was signed by MSF-Holland head of mission in PNG Lauren Cooney, Angau CEO Dr Polapoi Chalau and deputy chairman Dr Graham Atkins in the presence of WCSC coordinator Sr Anastasia Wakon, Angau Hospital board members, executives and civil society representatives including Soroptomist International.
Dr Chalau said: “The issue of domestic violence and social violence are big problems that needed aggressive attention to curtail in society and the MoU signing will enhance Angau’s services and open doors for more improvement ...”
Ms Cooney, in commending the many efforts in addressing the situation, said they looked forward to helping further curtail the problem in PNG and improve timely and appropriate medical assistance to victims.
They would also provide training for staff and hope to work with all stakeholders in PNG.
The signing comes amid increasing incidences of domestic violence, adult and child sexual abuses in PNG and the Pacific as highlighted by a report last year by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
The objective of the service to be provided under the MoU is to improve the provision of high quality, comprehensive medical and psycho social care for women and children and in certain circumstances men, who are victims of domestic violence and social violence.
MSF-H is currently in the process of getting approval from the IPA to carry out its work in PNG.
Upon necessary approval, it will have stationed at Angau a logistics coordinator, a programme coordinator to work with Sr Anastasia, a medical doctor, a registered nurse and a social worker.
MSF-Holland is one of 19 sections of the Doctors without Borders, an international, medical, non-governmental organisation formed in France in 1975.
MSF-Holland provides medical aid to people in need, to victims of natural disasters, civil unrest irrespective of race, religion, ideology and politics in 80 countries world wide.