Knife, gunshot wounds on the rise

Momase

By GYNNIE KERO
CASES of people with knife and gunshot wounds keep increasing at the Wewak Provincial Hospital, according to acting chief executive Mark Mauludu.
“People are resorting to fights with knives, guns, axes or anything that they can grab when they argue with somebody and use those to injure each other,” he said
“But mainly it’s the one-metre (long bush knife).”
A concerned Mauludu said the hospital would collaborate with stakeholders to conduct awareness, especially in the rural areas.
On the current redevelopment taking place at Boram, he said the Wewak Provincial Hospital would have a newlook after three years. Austrian contractor Vamed has already started rehabilitation work at the hospital, pulling down old facilities and making way for a new operating theatre, pathology and X-ray departments among others.
Mauludu explained that there were two phases of redevelopment work ongoing at the hospital.
“The first phase included wards, and the surgical, paediatric ward, and the next will be the wards towards the school of nursing with funding direct from the national government. Second phase is the arrangement the hospital has with donor partners like Vamed through the national government,” he said.
Mauludu and East Sepik provincial health authority chairman Mike McCulley said they were keen to see classes begin at the Boram School of Nursing next year for 40 intakes.