Goroka hospital needs urgent help

 THANK you for the editorial in The National yesterday (Dec 16), which highlighted the poor management and operations of public or government hospitals in Papua New Guinea.

You mentioned the chaotic situation at the Goroka Provincial Hospital as an impediment to health delivery in the province. 

As a citizen of this province I couldn’t agree more with you.

I have followed closely the developments over the last year and am appalled at the indecisiveness of the Health Minister, Department of Health and the Provincial Health Board over the chaotic situation in Goroka.

It is known that the star perpetrators of the unrest and strikes in the hospital and against the provincial administration are still in employment despite their lawful termination. 

They were terminated on the grounds that they neglected their sick patients and went on strike against lawful orders and their sworn duty to care.

It is suspected that there were deaths resulting from the strike but to date it is not known if a proper inquest was set up to ascertain and culprits held accountable.

If the Health Department is serious about services improvement then start by removing undesirables at the Goroka hospital and replace them with progressive thinkers who can comply to change for the better.  

Beneath it all I salute chief executive officer Lillian Siwi, who weathered that storm and paid with suspension from her job for her tough and disciplined stance against those resisting change for the better.     

Dari Ulklka

West Goroka, EHP