New chief executive set to tackle issues

 MANAGING the operations of Nonga Base Hospital in East New Britain will be a challenging task that newly-appointed chief executive, Dr Ako Yap is looking forward to tackle.

Yap and two other CEOs for other hospitals signed their employment contracts with the State last Friday.

Yap’s contract is for three years. 

“Nonga is not a normal hospital due to dust and ash fall conditions from Mt Tavurvur volcano since 1994, with medical equipment being subject to rust and rundown wards,” Yap said.

“But with the support of the hospital board, I am confident we can address these issues.” he said 

He said the hospital was undergoing rehabilitation with funding from the Health Department.

“We are renovating facilities and replacing medical equipment and this is being done in four phases,” he said.

The first phase included renovation of wards. Phase two included renovation of transit houses for nurses, two houses for medical specialists and a duplex for nurses. 

Phase three saw the morgue renovated  with six coolers installed,  the renovation of the tuberculosis, bio-medical engineering and children’s wards, ablution blocks, medical drug storage unit renovated and school of nursing building demolished.

“We have just completed phase three and so far we have spent K3.5 million on all three phases,” Yap said.

He said the fourth phase that had 12 projects would begin next week.

“Since 2008, when health services were scaled down, our bed capacity was reduced from 350 to 25 but we haveone back up to 160 beds.”