Helping patients in rural areas a worry: St John

THE ambulance emergency calls to assist the Coronavirus (Covid-19) patients in rural areas is a worry as people are dying before help reaches them, says St John Ambulance chief executive officer Matt Cannon.
He said they were noticing an increase in cases in places such as Kupiano in Abau.
“We are seeing people dying there and that’s not what we want,” he said. “As an ambulance service, to get a patient from Kupiano to the National Capital District, we have to take two big oxygen cylinders in the ambulance.
“This is on bumpy roads and we need to keep that person alive for four hours before they can get the treatment and care they need at Port Moresby General Hospital.
“This is a very long way. It takes four hours to get to Kupiano. And some of the patients (died) by the time we arrive or as we are on our way.”
He said it was really sad.
Cannon said it was important that people must understand that vaccination was important in protecting lives.
“We are seeing these unvaccinated people getting very sick – we are seeing unvaccinated people dying.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister James Marape yesterday pledge K1 million to the St John Ambulance to expand its services nationwide.
At the launching of an ambulance training facility in Port Moresby’s Baruni yesterday, Marape said: “Let’s expand, not just to the main centres but in the next 10 years, the St Johns Ambulance is in all major road links, air links and sea link areas.”
Cannon thanked the Government, the United Nations, Australia, New Zealand and other partners for their support.