Lack of medical equipment fatal

IN 2007, the Yamka tribe lost a great leader in Loo Pok.
In memory of his contribution, the people of Yamka donated more than K200,000 to buy a cardiac machine for the Mt Hagen General Hospital.
On May 6, his elder brother, Kundi Pok, died from a massive heart attack at the Hagen GH.
A day earlier, Kundi was shopping with his family when he suffered a severe pain in his left hand.
He quickly drove to Hagen GH and went straight to the Loo Pok Heart Foundation for a check-up.
But he collapsed in front of the door.
The nurses and doctors quickly responded and stabilised him.
But the doctors told him his situation was very critical and he had to go for a bypass immediately.
Unfortunately, there was no equipment in Mt Hagen or in PNG to carry out a bypass surgery.
Kundi passed away at 10.30pm on May 6.
The Yamka people thought their leader would be saved because they had contributed their hard-earned money to buy a machine.
But the machine they bought was to check patients’ hearts, not to help in a bypass operation.
The peace loving people of Yamka were devastated as they did not want others to die from heart attack after the loss of Loo Pok.
The government has let the people of PNG down by not buying the necessary medical equipment for a bypass operation.
Even if we have a heart specialist, there is no equipment to help the specialist.
Isn’t that a shame?
We have a government boasting of seven consecutive years of strong economic growth and yet we do not even have the necessary medical equipment to help our doctors save lives.
Is the government listening to the cries of the people of PNG?
I call on the government to seriously consider buying necessary medical equipment for bypass operations and other surgeries so that our people can have a better healthcare.
We will miss Kundi Pok. May his soul rest in peace.

 
Andrew Pini
Port Moresby