Hospital’s clinical service shuts

National

By LUKE KAMA
THE Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Kundiawa General Hospital in Chimbu has shut down all clinical services indefinitely from yesterday and will resume after the counting and declarations are made, hospital chief executive officer Dr Harry Poka says.
Poka told The National yesterday that the decision taken by the board and management to stop all normal clinical services was because hospital staff, including doctors, nurses, and security guards as well as patients, were assaulted by the police personnel, scrutineers and candidates’ supporters at the counting venue.
Poka said the counting venue at Dickson Oval was beside the only road to the hospital and two check points were along that road.
“Some of the scrutineers and security personnel engaged to provide security at the counting venue are acting very inhuman and unusual,” he said.
“When hospital staffs, doctors and nurses came for work, they were assaulted at two counting venue entrances, one at Kundiawa BSP bank and one that is close to Dickson Oval.
“They are treating the doctors, nurses and other hospital staff as thieves trying to smuggle extra ballot papers into the counting venue.
“Doctors have to go to the hospital early morning and as well drive out at late night for those working late shifts.
“But the reaction from the police personnel as well as scrutineers and supporters of candidates is very discouraging and bad.
“They check the billums and bags, wallets, the cars and everything as if our staff are trying to smuggle ballot papers into the counting venue.
“Our staff have been assaulted on several occasions since the counting started in Kundiawa and we have been lenient until we saw that it is going beyond and we understand that in such situations, nasty things do happen,” Poka said.
He said to safeguard the staff, hospital properties and patients, all services were stopped as of yesterday.
“The hospital will only attend to emergency cases, but all clinical services are stopped indefinitely until counting and declarations are made.
“The board will meet later and decide on the outcome after the counting and declarations.”
Poka aid the hospital management has issued a circular to all staff and the public regarding the closure.