Hospital’s operating theatre up to standard, doctor says

National

THE Popondetta General Hospital’s new operating theatre is up to the standard of a level four hospital and ensures safe surgeries, former chief executive officer Dr Gunzee Gawin says.
Gawin told delegates at the annual medical symposium in Port Moresby that safe surgery and anaesthesia were requirements a health facility providing surgical operations must meet.
“We all aim to provide better health outcomes and it’s expected of us to provide that,” Gawin said.
“As clinicians we are required to provide safe care, safe surgery and anaesthesia to our patients.”
He said the hospital redevelopment project was proposed by the hospital to the government, which funded it.
“In 2008, I arrived in Popondentta and was operating in a small theatre. This put the clinicians and the patients at risk,” he said.
“One of the things that contributes to a lot of delay is the lack of operating room availability.”
He said the new operating theatre had two rooms equipped with the latest equipment, were fireproof and had theatre lights with high definition cameras.
He said the challenge for them now was to maintain the facility.
Gawin said they aimed to keep the facility functional and train more nurses on how to use the equipment.