Hospital: K10,000 for treating election injuries

THE Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Hospital in Kundiawa is charging people K10,000 if they turn up to be treated for injuries caused by election-related violence, it has been revealed.
“Thus we have gone through the media in Radio Simbu to do awareness advising our people, politicians and their supporters that if someone is injured from election-related violence, they will have to pay K10,000 on the spot for us to treat them,” chief executive officer Dr Harry Poka said. “If you think that you and your candidate have enough money and can afford the K10,000 to receive treatment, then that is something you have to think twice about because we are not going to entertain such cases.
“And so far, there are only two election-related accidents, one at Siane in Chuave district and one at Sigewage in Gembogle.
“There are two deaths in the accident in Chuave and one in Sigewage, but apart from this we haven’t received any emergency cases from election-related violence.”
Dr Poka said the hospital had taken a proactive approach by educating people about the need for care, while the country is experiencing a shortage of medicines at public hospitals, health centres and clinics.
He appealed to the people of Simbu to be mature and remain peaceful during the polling and counting periods because any major election-related violence will only be treated upon payment on the spot of K10,000.
“That is one of the approaches we have taken to educate our people during this election to avoid election-related violence and that has been very good.”