Official: Hospitals need to charge fees to fund operations

PUBLIC hospitals need to charge fees to fund their operations, according to Morobe programme adviser for health Micah Yawing.
He said this in support of an increase in fees at the Angau Memorial General Hospital in Lae.
According to a circular from the hospital management dated March 14, the increase was due to insufficient funding from the Health Department.
Yawing said nothing was free these days.
“The fees are the usual user-pay fees. The hospital is serving a huge population and therefore need funds to operate,” he said.
“When the government funding comes late, the hospital needs to (use the) fees to help run its operations. I urge the community to cooperate with the hospital and be responsible.”
Angau is the country’s second largest referral hospital providing a wide range of clinical support services, health training and support for the Momase region.
A recent hospital newsletter states that the increased fees is to cater for shortfalls in funding the hospital is facing.
“The measures are a solution to ensure the hospital is operational and providing services to the public,” it stated.