Hospital faces drug shortage, sick people get referrals

Patients seeking medical treatment have been given open referrals and told to get medicine from private pharmacies in Kiunga, Western.
The Rumginae rural hospital administrator Philip Kapak said the hospital had been facing a shortage of medicines since February.
“There is an urgent need for IV fluids, Panadol, Amoxcillin, syringes, hand gloves and painkillers amongst others,” he said.
Kapak said that formal procurement process had been done but they have not received any supplies forcing health workers to treat patients with whatever drugs they had available.
“Stocks in outpatient department have gone out,” he said.
“Some patients were given open referrals to seek medical treatment from Ningerum health centre, Tabubil hospital, the Catholic mission health centre or the district hospital in Kiunga.”
Kapak said the logistics company that was supposed to send their supplies had delayed their work and the supplies were still at the area medical store in Port Moresby.
The Rumginae rural hospital, operated by the Evangelical Church of Papua New Guinea (ECPNG) Health Services, serves Ningerum LLG and surrounding villages, providing health care to more than 15,000 people in the North Fly.