Parliament points to four deaths

By LULU MARK
THE Parliament on Friday was pointed again to the deaths of the four people allegedly caused by the anaesthetic propofol at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) last month with six members, including the Prime Minister James Marape, making statements on it.
Pomio MP Elias Kapavore said according to media reports, a pathologist from PMGH had said these were not ordinary deaths and the implications of an investigation would be serious, hence, a coroner’s inquiry was required.
Kapavore asked if Justice Minister Bryan Kramer could direct the National Capital District coroner to investigate the deaths and how the drug entered the country, whether it went through the Health Department’s pharmaceutical standards assessment process and how they ended up in the public health system and the report could be tabled in Parliament.
Health Minister Jelta Wong raised a point of order saying the case was being investigated as it was the Government’s priority and “we, as a responsible Government, have to ensure that investigations are done properly”.
“Asking questions in Parliament may preempt a decision that can go wrong – as the Shadow Minister (Kapavore) for Health, he should realise that we have processes to be followed,” Wong said.
Responding to Kapavore’s question, Kramer said a coroner’s inquest could be directed into the case.
He said an investigation into the acquisition of propofol had shown where it had been brought from.