KPHL donates vital equipment

Kumul Petroleum representative Malcom Negints (right) presenting boxes of medical equipment to Ivingoi health centre manager Paul Hofa. The items were valued at more than K29,500 to support the health centre’s newly built maternity ward. – Picture supplied

THE Ivingoi health centre in Okapa, Eastern Highlands, has been operating with limited medical equipment while working to ensure healthy and safe deliveries of babies, an official says.
Ivingoi health centre manager Paul Hofa made this known after the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd (KPHL) donated medical equipment to the health centre on Friday.
The donation was made under Kumul Petroleum’s social inclusion programme which committed over K29,500 to support the purchase and delivery of the much needed medical equipment that would serve the district.
Hofa said the facility treated an estimated 75,000 people annually and recently added a maternity ward which was completed last year.
He said since then the maternity ward had seen 198 births and two neonatal deaths and had been operating with limited medical equipment.
“This donation means a lot to us as it is the first of its kind from a big organisation such as Kumul Petroleum,” he said.
“We had the building and with no special equipment such as a hi-vac suction pump and a manually operated vacuum extractor, and mothers would struggle with the birthing process.”
Hofa said the donation would boost the facility’s capacity.
The donated equipment comprises of 10 IV drip stands; two wheel chairs; two cots, including two trays underneath; one Hb 201-plus analyser; a liberty nebuliser pump set; a hi-vac suction pump and a manually operated vacuum extractor.
KPHL said in a statement that it was committed to supporting the Government deliver life-saving medical equipment to hospitals and health centres in PNG as part of its core value to embrace health and well-being for Papua New Guineans.