Population growth puts pressure on healthcare

By Rebecca Kuku
POPULATION increase in the city has made it difficult for healthcare services in Port Moresby because of sheer numbers.
The Health Department’s chief of emergency medicine Dr Sam Yockopua told The National yesterday that doctors at the Port Moresby General Hospital and emergency department were overworked and literally suffering from the workload.
Yockopua said that despite having the manpower, the hospital was struggling to carry out its duties by providing healthcare as the number of patients outnumbered the number of doctors in 17,000:1.
He also said the general emergency department needed K4 million in order to provide emergency care as a level seven hospital in the country.
“Despite the funding the emergency department received, it still needs K4 million in order to upgrade itself and provide improved emergency healthcare services to the growing population in Port Moresby,” Yockopua said.
“K2 million to refurbish and upgrade the emergency department and K2 million for new equipment, consumables and medication.
“So yes, we still need funding but we do have the manpower, it’s just the population increase that is making healthcare service delivery a bit challenging.”
Yockopua said that two hospitals should be immediately built for the nation’s capital and Central.
“Port Moresby General Hospital is a national referral hospital and on top of that it serves the people in the nation’s capital and people in Central,” he said.
“Tripling its duties, so despite having the manpower, the patients outnumber us and we are really struggling with the workload.”
Port Moresby General Hospital is the largest hospital in Papua New Guinea and located in Korobosea suburb at 3-Mile.