Chimbu hospital staff close doors to top officers

WORKERS at the Kundiawa General Hospital in Chimbu are preventing acting chief executive officer Mathew Kaluvia and the former CEO, Sr Orpah Tugo, from entering the health facility.
The action was taken following the reappointment of Tugo to her former post by Health Minister Jamie Maxtone-Graham on Nov 18.
Hospital staff, district representatives and deputy provincial administrator (field services) Alphonse Kee had given Maxtone-Graham 48 hours to revoke the appointment of Tugo.
They said the board had not been confirmed by the National Executive Council and any recommendations and decisions it made were illegal.
“They (Kaluvia and Tugo) will not enter the hospital premises at any time until the matter is properly dealt with,” Kee said yesterday.
“If nothing good develops within the 48 hours, we will shut down all hospital operations and the health minister will be held responsible,” a petition prepared by the workers stated.
Chimbu Governor Fr John Garia will lead a provincial delegation to meet with Maxtone-Graham tomorrow on the matter.
Former hospital board chairman Gerald Philips declined to comment and referred queries to Maxtone-Graham, who is out of the country.