Fund ailing hospitals

THERE is a situation arising where morbidity and mortality due to potentially curable medical conditions is on the rise due to the perceived effects of the Covid-19.
Public hospitals are on emergency mode since the detection of the first case in PNG.
There was a lot of hype surrounding the preparedness of these facilities to attempt to cater for the outbreak of the Covid-19.
However, several months down the line, we are seeing a modest rise with no mortality from the cases detected.
Deaths with a high index of suspicion from the coronavirus have also not been reported country-wide.
Huge amounts of money have been appropriated for the Covid-19 efforts.
Money that is desperately needed for more pressing health issues that devastate the country – TB, malaria, cancers and their treatment, etc.
When the facilities shut down there is bound to be a rise in morbidity and mortality rates.
Women waiting for a cancer operation but cannot have access to blood will probably die.
The young man needing an X-ray from a compound fracture suffers from sepsis could possibly die because an x-ray cannot be done.
A diabetic patient needing a review of insulin requirements or having complications from the disease process.
The patient with renal failure needing dialysis.
A child with thalassemia cannot be transfused blood and dies.
We will see a rise in deaths from all these medical problems and not from the Covid-19 as shown thus far.
I feel for the ordinary people who just have to wait or suffer a deterioration in their condition.
While we need to be alert about the Covid-19 and its effects, local data shows that there have not been any deaths thus far.
Predictions were that if it hit a country such as PNG the effects would be devastating in regards to deaths due to the way people live – not to mention the peoples’ habit including betel nut chewing, sharing of tobacco and food.
Having access to clean water is also a problem for many communities.
We need to determine the factors that has enabled PNG to have escaped thus far.
Surely with what has happened in other countries PNG would have seen a death or two by now from the Covid-19.
However, deaths from common ailments are bound to rise.

Dr Mahlon Paiva