Hospital imposes high fees for ‘avoidable’ injuries

ST MARY’S Vunapope Hospital in Kokopo, East New Britain (ENB), will be imposing stiffer fees or charges for emergencies and services for all violence or avoidable injuries.
The hospital’s director medical services, Dr Felix Diaku, warned the public when providing an update on trauma violence cases that occurred during and after New Year’s Eve.
Diaku said that from Dec 31 to Jan 1, they had received 20 cases of trauma violence or avoidable injuries.
He explained that trauma violence cases were caused by fights, knife wounds and attacks.
Diaku said two deaths occurred among the 20 cases.
“These deaths were caused by drunkards on New Year’s Eve and after, and of the two deaths, one is a 25-year-old male from Ganai in Kokopo’s Bitapaka,” he said. “He received knife wounds to his hands and head when he was trying to stop a fight between a group of drunkards.
“The other (death) is from Watom Island but resides at Vunamami. He was attacked by drunkards on Jan 1 at Kabagab Beach near Tokua when having a picnic with his friends.”
The bodies of the two deceased are at the Nonga Base Hospital awaiting post-mortem.
Diaku said hospitals in East New Britain used to get more violence and injuries emergency patients during community fights.