By HELEN REI
TABUBIL General Hospital (TGH) has received a five-star rating under the Department of Health accreditation system.
The hospital had scored five stars out of a possible five with 90% compliance required by the national health standards accreditation system.
This followed a recent inspection by surveyors from various hospitals throughout the country.
TGH is the second hospital to receive the highest score; the first was Mt Hagen General Hospital in the Western Highlands province in 2002.
Last year, the standard for the hospital accreditation system had changed to that of the Australian Health Standards.
TGH would be the first to be rated as a five star hospital under the new standard.
Leader of the assessment team and chief executive officer of the Kimbe Hospital Mark Mauludu during the recent inspection said TGH was a leader in addressing safety at the facility.
He attributed that to Ok Tedi Mining Ltd’s overall safety policy.
Other areas that were highly recommended were infection control and medical waste management.
The hospital staff had been preparing for the exercise for the last three years and were overwhelmed by the news.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s redevelopment project was now completed with the opening of the new facilities scheduled for today.