Hospitals told to open

By REBECCA KUKU
HOSPITALS and clinics should not be closed during the national state of emergency and 14-day lockdown, says Health secretary Paison Dakulala.
Dakulala said the instructions was for them to only scale down and send the non-essentials staff home but the hospitals and clinics should remain open to serve the people as health was an essential service.
He made this comment after several clinics and a hospital in Port Moresby closed gate yesterday.
Police Minister Bryan Kramer, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister James Marape, also said that hospitals and clinics needed
to remain open to serve people.
“However, if you have any symptoms of the Covid-19, do not go to the clinics, or the hospital,” he said.
“As patients with other underlying health issues who are exposed to Covid-19 are at high risk.
“If you think, you may have Covid-19, or a member of your family may have it, isolate yourself and or isolate your family member in a room and call the Covid-19 emergency hotline.
“I repeat, do not go to the clinics and hospitals.”
Kramer said clinics and hospitals would remain open to attend to normal health issues.