Nonga scales down service

EAST New Britain (ENB)’s Nonga Hospital in Rabaul has scaled down its outpatient service since Monday to facilitae major renovation work starting next week. Hospital emergency physician Dr Samuel Andrew said outpatient operations in front of the hospital were moved to the physio ward at the back of the building. “The scale down is only temporary – for two to three weeks – to allow a local contractor renovate the outpatient ward to meet hospital standards,” he said. “This building was built a long time ago and the outpatient ward is running out of space. “We need expand.” Dr Andrew said the funding for this project was from the hospital management plus other corporate sponsors. “This is a level six hospital and but the buildings, manpower and equipment are inadequate,” he said. “We now have the manpower and building space but lack equipment to meet that category of level six hospital.”Dr Andrew said the hospital needed to equip itself as a level seven hospital, especially the emergency department (ED). “We are receiving equipment and at the same time want to install the equipment in ED in a proper and standard way,” he said. “The renovation of the ED and outpatient ward was submitted to the board and the decision was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have already purchased all the equipment and materials that are need for the emergency department. “After the outpatient ward renovations, we will move to renovating the ED.”