Get permanent staff on board

Letters

THE Government should look at increasing the human resource capacity of provincial health authorities (PHAs) to deal with the current Coronavirus (Covid-19) surge and other emerging challenges.
Covid-19 is here to stay, hence, there has to be permanent solutions to manage the virus going forward.
Instead of hiring staff on short-term contracts, we should have permanent staff positions.
Use the pandemic and the resources that are coming with it as an opportunity to build up our capacity.
People are not listening and adhering to the “Niupela Pasin”.
These people protesting the Covid-19 vaccine will fall sick and still end up in hospital.
Health workers are at risk.
Build up the capacity of the hospital so that we have enough manpower.
The Southern Highlands health authority had to hire 10 casual nurses for the general hospital and eight for the districts just to support the Covid-19 response alone.
The provincial health authority has a capacity of around 800 staff and 500 more positions are approved by the Department of Personal Management and awaiting funding.
I urged the Health Department and the Department of Personnel Management to fund the permanent staff positions.
So far, since the beginning of the surge on Sept 20 until Oct 29, 959 cases were reported in the province with 33 deaths, which included a staff.
Eighty-four of frontline health workers tested positive for Covid-19 of which 4 per cent were severe cases and had to be admitted and the rest were isolated at their homes.
This shows the need for more staff and the Health Department needs to look at getting permanent staff on board and not short-term contract staff.

Dr Joseph Birisi,
SHP PHA CEO