Modilon hospital sets up bone fracture facility

MADANG’S Modilon General Hospital has established its first orthopaedic ward to cater for the increasing number of patients with broken bones.
With the support of Cabrini sister hospital in Melbourne, Australia, the unit was established in early June but was not functional because it lacked equipment and staff.
Last Monday, 12 staff were engaged to work under the leadership of Dr Jerry Kuzman and unit manager Sr Jenny Pitpit Pokaran.
“The orthopaedic ward (3D) has only 12 beds compared with 22 orthopaedic patients admitted in the main surgical ward,” Pokaran said.
“We will likely extend into ward 3C because it has 20 beds.”
With visiting orthopaedic surgeon John Griffins and his team going to Modilon to conduct operations which started yesterday till Saturday, it was noted that most equipment was lacking.
“We were privilege to have the ward open but have yet to install required life saving equipment,” Pokaran said.
The 12 staff will attend to their first patients on Monday.
Deputy director nursing services Josephine Maihua said although Modilon had two specialist doctors for bones and plastic (head and neck) surgery it did not have a specialist ward.