MP, St John still discussing plan

Health Watch

By GLORIA BAUAI
DISCUSSIONS between Lae and St John Ambulance (SJA) are continuing for the establishment of services by the end of the year, local MP John Rosso says.
He said the Lae city authority would provide funding of K100,000 annually to St John Ambulance to ensure the province had an effective ambulance service.
Rosso condemned the actions of an Angau staff who crashed the first St John Ambulance vehicle in Lae, just a week before the ambulance service commenced operations in the city.
“Unfortunately, the ambulance was misused and abused by a drunken staff from Angau hospital,” he said.
“Resources are scarce and misuse is not good.”
SJA chief executive officer Matt Canon expressed disappointment over the incident, announcing that the organisation’s services into Lae had been postponed indefinitely.
Rosso, however, was adamant that Lae be served by SJA.
“I’ve been in talks with SJA because I want service to be here in Lae,” he said.
Rosso said in his capacity as Lands Minister, he had identified a portion of land to allocate to SJA to establish an office in the city.
“We should have SJA up and running by the end of the year,” he said.