Goroka eye clinic currently hunting for specialist

I REFER to the letter “Highlands only eye clinic closed” (The National, Sept 10) by “Frustrated eye patient”.
Firstly, I would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to the writer and many others who depended on the ophthalmology services at our eye clinic.
With the assistance of CBM and Callan Services, our eye clinic has conducted many cataract operations and restored vision to many people. 
With the current board led by David Wong and management led by Dr Joseph Apa, a lot of development has taken place in the Goroka Base Hospital.
For instance, the current radiology department has the only computerised x-ray system as well an oxygen generating plant.
The hospital has successfully restored its operating theatre.
It also boasts a functional and effective HIV/AIDS treatment programme that other provinces have now started to adopt.
The latest development is the establishment of the Goroka Clinical School that will see the UPNG school of medicine and health sciences students do their practical in Goroka.
All these were made possible by the hospital’s partners such as National Planning, William J Clinton Foundation, EHP government and others.
However, the one department responsible for health, the Department of Health, has failed to support this hospital over the past 10 years or so.
The Goroka eye clinic currently lacks a specialist doctor and we are trying to sort out the work permit.
The good news is we will be constructing an extension and getting more equipment for the eye hospital.

Hospital staff
Goroka