PMC too expensive for Papua New Guineans

I REFER to the letter by Jok Pokkie (The National, June 15) that PNG needs a modern medical facility like the Pacific Medical Centre (PMC).
However, the question needs to be asked: Why wasn’t the Port Moresby General Hospital radically and comprehensively upgraded than building an entirely new medical centre?
The answer probably lies in the fact that the proposed PMC is not going to be available to ordinary Papua New Guineans but only those who can afford its extremely high fees, which will make it a very exclusive place.
Instead of criticising Prof Glen Mola, the writer and those like him, should be roundly criticising the government for letting PMGH fall into the mess that it is in today.
They are naive if they think most Papua New Guineans will benefit if the medical centre goes ahead.
The shameful failure to provide affordable public health facilities to all Papua New Guineans is one of the main reasons why PNG continues to perform badly on the United Nations’ human development index.

Allan Patience
Tokyo, Japan