Hagen hospital staff call for tight security

National, Normal
Source:

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

THE staff of Mt Hagen Hospital called for tight security within the hospital premises.
The staff, during their meeting yesterday at the hospital, also wanted private security firms to be engaged to boost the security manpower of the hospital.
They called for proper security lights, inner and outer fencing of the hospital, maintenance of staff houses with wire mesh covering all windows, nearby settlements to be removed and wanted grown up dependents living in the hospital houses to be sent back to their communities.
The staff also wanted the retrenched officers still living within the hospital premises to go back to their villages or provinces of origin.
The staff held the meeting yesterday to come up with some points to present to the concerned authorities when they sit together in a round table discussion today.
On Monday, the staff planned to petition the provincial government and the two local level government councils, the Hagen urban and Hagen rural but yesterday they decided not to petition them.
The hospital set up a committee to raise their concerns with the authorities in a round table discussion and want an answer by Friday.
The staff agreed to return to work and reopen the outpatient’s wing today while their committee raised their concerns with the representatives from the two LLGs and the provincial government.
A prime suspect is identified but is still at large.
Nursing sister Judith Wat, who sustained bush knife wounds on her arms and head, is recovering at the hospital.
Her cousin brother Apike Gulike from same Munjika tribe living in Kuruk village in the Mul district said Wat nearly lost her life after an intruder went into the nursing quarters through the kitchen window and attacked her with a bush knife.
Gulike blamed the attack on poor security, no proper fencing around the nursing quarters, no security lights and mesh wire covering all the windows.
He partly blamed the administration of the hospital on the attack for their negligence in addressing these issues.
He wanted the problems addressed by the concerned authorities to prevent further attacks on the hospital staff.
Metropolitan commander Chief Insp John Kale said criminal investigation officers were now investigating the matter.