Cardinal condemns staff protest

By LULU MARK
MENTALLY ill patients transferred to the Laloki Psychiatric Hospital from Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) were denied entry and sent back due to a week-long protest staged by a group of disgruntled staff last week.
The protest at the country’s only psychiatric hospital outside Port Moresby included staff nailing the door to chief executive officer Dr Losavati Wilbur Daugunu’s office and the pharmacy and closing the gate to prevent new admissions.
This was led by the nine staff members who were suspended in March.
The directorate of social change and mental health board chairman Cardinal Sir John Ribat, who with a team from the directorate went there on Saturday to ensure normalcy was restored, condemned the action of the staff, describing it as an act of terrorism.
In the presence of police, the gate and barred doors were opened.
“The hospital was built by the Government for those who are mentally ill to receive the healthcare they need,” Cardinal Sir John said.
“It saddens me to learn that two patients were not able to receive care because of the actions of some staff.
“We are robbing the sick people of their rights to come and be served here (which) is not right.
“Denying the patients access to healthcare is a violation of human rights.”
Cardinal Sir John said there were better ways of solving issues and it should not be done at the expense of patients.
He said the act of stopping services and demanding answers was an ongoing thing and it was about time it was stopped to restore the patients’ and people’s confidence in the hospital.
Health Minster Jelta Wong said he was aware of the situation at Laloki Psychiatric Hospital.
“Laloki has a board that answers to me, it will be remiss of me to give answers to questions when they are still being investigated,” he said.
“The workers have to answer to the board which is headed by Cardinal Sir John Ribat. Once his report is forwarded to me I can comment,” Wong said.
On March 15, Wong issued a letter of suspension to Dr Daugunu for the Health Department and police to investigate the allegations made against her by the staff.
On March 25, Wong issued another letter to Health secretary Dr Osborne Liko, directing the withdrawal of the letter of suspension, stating that there was a lack of consultation with the directorate’s board which was the National Executive Council-sanctioned and approved board for Laloki.
A spokesperson of the protesting staff said Laloki Psychiatric Hospital was under the Health Department and not the directorate, hence, the initial appointment of the CEO was flawed.
He said they would continue protesting and demanding that the minister and Health secretary addressed their concerns.