Give local healthcare workers praise too

THIS appeal is on behalf of the greatest majority of healthcare workers throughout the length and breadth of Papua New Guinea who have stood by patients with tropical, natural and introduced diseases of all descriptions in the most remotest places with limited resources and with little acknowledgement by the national leaders.
We feel offended that we are ignored in official acknowledgement while others, like visiting medical teams and individuals offering one-off services, are praised.
While we accept our leader’s acknowledgement of our professional counterparts for assisting us when they can, these same leaders are forgetting that we the national healthcare providers do the same thing 365 days of the year with no accommodation, poor diet, illnesses and hardship.
We do all these while being underpaid while working with limited tools and Government support.
The recent acknowledgement of the Chinese hospital ship, the awarding of medals to St John Ambulance staff and continued acknowledgement of the Ywam medical services are examples of how the our leaders are not helping promote a sense of unity among us as partners who provide healthcare to our people, whether in clinical practice, training or in research.
The Government owes us special acknowledgement for right now we are placed at the bottom of pool with the Government salary system.
The list of CBE, OBE and so forth each year should have 50 per cent health workers and teachers, 30 per cent community leaders and 10 per cent others.
Politicians should only get 10 per cent of the awards.

Gerard Saleu
Goroka