More beds needed in ICU
By LULU MARK
THERE is a need for more intensive care unit (ICU) beds at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) and the Covid-19 isolation centres to care for serious Covid-19 patients, an official says.
PMGH chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi said currently, the hospital had eight ICU beds which were all occupied by two Covid-19 patients and six other patients.
Dr Molumi was responding to questions by The National about what would happen if a Covid-19 patient was isolated at the Rita Flynn Covid-19 centre and soon-to-be-opened Florence Nightingale Field Hospital at the Taurama Aquatic Centre (TAC) and his or her condition worsened and needed to be transferred to PMGH (as delays would lead to further complications and death).
He said a memorandum of understanding with the National Capital District health authority and St John Ambulance (SJA) was signed on Sunday for the operation of TAC.
“As an extension of PMGH, we are assessing the possibility of having ICU beds, labour wards and surgical services at TAC,” he said.
“This is to relieve PMGH so we continue normal services.
“We have plans to refurbish the existing ICU and intermediate ward to a 20-bed ICU.
“Work will start this year if funds are made available through the Covid-19 funds as requested by PMGH.”
A family in Port Moresby over the weekend made a plea to the Government to immediately look into creating more bed spaces at the hospitals and Covid-19 care centres for serious cases.
The Narokobi family of East Sepik lost a son, Daniel Kumotia Narakobi, on Friday due to complications resulting from the Covid-19.
He was admitted at the Rita Flynn Covid-19 centre.
A statement from the family called for the expedition of the vaccines, especially to healthcare professionals who were on the frontline of the battle against the Covid-19.
The family urged the public to adhere to the “new normal” measures.
“The Covid-19 is real, protect yourselves and your loved ones.”
Dr Molumi said currently, 70 Covid-19 patients were admitted at PMGH as more than 100 staff were isolated and 250 staff scheduled to receive the Covid-19 vaccination today or tomorrow.
Meanwhile, SJA chief executive officer Matt Cannon said as soon as the Government signed the indemnity agreement the Florence Nightingale Field Hospital would start operating.
One thought on “More beds needed in ICU”
Only a week ago people were bending over backwards to eulogise one of the founders of PNG. Alas those short sharp days of glorification have gone only to replaced by the Covid catastrophe that is overwhelming the nation. PNG is facing the 45 years of blatant neglect by its leaders of all parties who have run down the basic pillars of a society: health and education. Luckily rural folk can build a new bush material home in less than a fortnight just as their ancestors had done before 1975 and over many millennia. Not so the urbanites locked into poverty wages whilst living in settlements often on other peoples’ land without the basic utilities of human existence.
We have MPs with years in office ‘Like Daniel Come to Judgement’ expressing justifiable concerns about the infrastructure problems being exposed by Covid. Sadly just like Shylock their playing politics now comes back to haunt them. Where were they when the infrastructure was crumbling? At play in the night life of Moresby? Waists expanding gorging on the fatted calves provided by the businesses and workers of the nation through tax collections, royalties etc that were meant to be used not for high rises in the city while their poor constituents died from lack of medicines or even services from a local aidpost orderly.
They have no shame now waving begging bowls for the rest of the world to stop the Covid disaster that is going to create massive death toll in coming weeks months.
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