Deal signed to manage Laloki facility

 By MOUA OMOA

THE Port Moresby General Hospital board yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Health Department for the temporary management of the Laloki in-service college facility.

Hospital board chairman Sir Theophilus Constantinou said it would improve the morale of nurses and doctors who played an important role in saving lives.

Health and HIV/AIDS Minister Michael Malabag commended the department for evicting illegal tenants and was delighted that the facility would be used after 10 years.

Malabag said hospital board and management would oversee the management of the college for the temporary accommodation for nurses and other staff.

“The PMGH board will use at least three out of the five dormitories for the temporary accommodation for nurses and other staff while they construct new houses and accommodation facilities at 3-Mile.

“This temporary arrangement will capture some of the frustrations and address issues raised with regards to accommodation of our hospital nursing staff.”

Malabag said the department would still have access to the facility for training using the reserved dormitories while negotiating with others for the long term use of the facility for training purposes.

He said he has made a commitment to re-establish the Port Moresby Nursing College to cater formanpower shortages.

“While this is going on, we will be looking for a partner like the Pacific Adventist University to use this facility to train more nurses.

Of the 29 staff houses at Laloki, the department will use 12 while the rest will be given to hospital staff. 

The hospital board and management will provide security and transportation for the staff who are accommodated at the Laloki facility.