Health facility scales down operation

A CATHOLIC church-run health facility near Mendi town, Southern Highlands, that serves between 4,000 and 5,000 patients a month, has temporarily scaled down its operation due to shortage of medicines.
It will be serving emergency cases only.
Church health facilities secretary Winnie William told The National that they had no option but close the Epeanda health facility for an indefinite period since yesterday, awaiting the arrival of supplies.
“Basic medical supply needs we have at the moment are sterile water for injection, intravenous sugar solution, pain relievers such as Panadol, amoxicillin, aspirin, and other consumables,” she said.
“Many health facilities were able to operate because we have a programme called the interfacility exchange, if a certain health facility has enough medicines, we supply some to those that are in desperate need.
“That made it possible for many facilities to operate despite the shortage.”
Winnie said the sector received K6,800 operational grants from the Health Department each month to run 12 health facilities in Southern Highlands and six in Hela.
The amount was not enough, she said.
Winnie said it cost more than K60,000 for supplementary procurement from a company in Germany called the Medeo Germany and was an expensive exercise.
She said the provincial health authority helped them last year and today many of the facilities would be closed, which was a serious issue during the General Election 2022 period.
“After the closure of the facility, health workers had gone out for outreach programmes,” she said.