Mendi needs more health workers, says doctor

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By PETER WARI
THE Mendi Provincial Hospital in Southern Highlands needs more health workers to handle an expected surge in Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases after 40 of its staff tested positive.
Provincial Health Authority chief executive officer Dr Joseph Birisi told The National that of the 40 health workers, seven were doctors and the rest nurses.
“From Sept 20 to Oct 10, 291 positive cases were reported with 33 admissions and eight deaths.
“We are receiving 20 to 30 positive cases daily,” he said.
“We are down on manpower.
“We need funding to engage health workers to assist us during this crucial time.
“Medical ward patients have been moved to other wards to cater for Covid-19 cases.
“They are likely to die from other diseases like tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, diabetes, trauma and others if we do not balance the services properly.”
Dr Birisi said 12 beds for Covid-19 patients at the isolation ward were all occupied.
He said the hospital had been using RDT kits and GeneXpert for testing of which they would run out soon.
They need money to buy more test kits.
Dr Birisi said construction of a new isolation ward at the hospital was progressing and needed more funding to be equipped.
“We are also looking at opening and building capacity at Ialibu and Nipa hospitals to relieve the Mendi Hospital.”