Major hospitals to provide specialist treatment, Marape says

The National National

HEART and cancer patients may be treated at Port Moresby General Hospital and Angau Hospital in Lae to save overseas travel and costs by the end of next year, Prime Minister James Marape says.
Marape said this in Parliament in response to concern raised by Pomio MP Elias Kapavore for the need to fast-track the gazettal of the Radiation and Safety Control Bill Regulation as a matter of public health importance because the number of people dying from cancer in PNG was among the highest in the region and world.
Kapavore said the Radiation and Safety Control Bill which covered transportation, safety and the security of radioactive materials for cancer treatment was passed in Parliament in January last year.
But there was still no Radiation and Safety Control Bill Regulation as required under Section 85 of the Act.
He said there should be no complacency on these matters and asked if the PM could:

  • Intervene and direct the Health Department to expedite Gazettal for Radiation and Safety Control Regulation;
  • Give assurance that the new cancer facility under construction at PMGH financed by the previous government with K25.5 million, needed more funds and would be supported – as well as Angau; and
  • give an undertaking to support the Health Department implement the National Cancer Policy (2015) and the new National Health Plan 2021-30 (currently documented) should provide the pathway to addressing cancer-related issues in the country.

“I will take a look into these matters at the earliest because it is important, especially to get the Radiation and Safety Control Bill to be processed and expedited,” Marape said.
“I give an undertaking to the Health Minister and the Health Department to process this at the very earliest that we should have it up and running.”
Marape said a memorandum of understanding was signed by the Kumul Petrolium Holdings Ltd (KPHL) and board and chief executives officers of PMGH and Angau hospitals to work towards making them become specialist hospitals.
“KPHL has committed, under government instructions, K60 million to make sure these two hospitals are stepped up, prepared for all our cancer patients and heart patients.
“It is timely we deliver these services to our country so our citizens can have access to specialist care.”

2 comments

  • This is a grandiose idea. It is not possible in the current economic climate in our country.
    As a medical specialist working in a first-world country these 2 services require too much money and skilled personnel.
    The coronary angiogram lab at PMGH which was opened late last year is currently non-functional.
    You cannot do any ECHO, cannot offer coronary artery bypass, cannot offer stents, you cannot offer appropriate medications to keep stents patent, cannot stage cancer adequately and administer appropriate treatment.
    It is a total chaos.
    The government is being advised by people with no clear expertise.
    Please spend money on infection related facilities such x-rays in health centres, wider choices of strong antibiotics, vaccination such as Gardasil to benefit the wider community both in towns and rural areas.
    80 percent of PNG’s population live in rural areas and they die of infections. Majority of these rural people do not die of cancer or heart attacks. Infections kill them in their early adult lives.
    Maternal and infant mortality is still very high.
    Address the problems affecting majority of the population and once controlled we can move on to illnesses caused by indulgence in cigarettes, alcohol, and other modern lifestyle choices.
    Dr. Kindin Ongugo- MBBS, FRACP

  • Thanks Kindin, that’s a very true statement the government always talk about big things and never looked at the rural level what the problem is.

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