Prioritise improving national hospitals

 IT really saddens me to read in our dailies about the shocking state of our provincial hospitals. It makes me wonder where our priorities are as a nation. 

The revelation by Belgium volunteer worker, Tom Wuytack, on the state of the worsening ablution blocks and toilets at Buka General Hospital is shocking. 

So are the observations by Passingan Taru in his letter to The National about the state of the country’s second largest  hospital, Lae’s Angau General Hospital. 

The national government is boasting about the economic boom, resource projects mushrooming, expatriates flooding in and businesses growing in the towns and cities. 

However, our very own citizens are pushed to the periphery and people are dying of curable diseases. 

Where has all the money gone? 

Our people do not see the results of the much talked about economic achievements and this is clearly demonstrated in the deteriorating state of our national hospitals. 

I guess it is even worse in the rural areas.

Our national and directive principles in the Constitution are very clear and talks about the equality and participation in the development of resources in a holistic way that benefits the majority. 

Our leaders should pause for a moment and see the plight of the people. 

I know our leaders can afford the luxury of private hospitals and overseas treatments, but what about the children and custodians of this resource-rich country?

This is a very serious issue of human rights violation when children of this country are denied their fundamental right to life because life-supporting equipment and essential hospital needs are lacking. 

It becomes a worsening scenario when local doctors are running away to join the private sector because of poor renumeration and lack of proper equipment and madicines to utilise in their work.

I challenge the government to go down to the grassroots and see the conditions of all our provincial hospitals and see the reality faced by our people. 

Enough of sweet propaganda talk in the media about achievements. 

Where are these achievements being converted into tangible outputs? 

All we see and hear about is corruption after corruption, where funds allocated for the rehabilitation of major hospitals are gone, including aid funding. 

It is really a shame when donor agencies and private corporate citizens step in to fulfil the responsibility of the government.

It is worse and very shameful if one is a national leader living in luxury while the provincial hospitals are in a shambles and constituents are dying of curable diseases. 

Whether you are in the government, the opposition or an ordinary MP, wake up and face the reality:  people are dying out there, so get your hands dirty as we want service delivery. 

Do you want a revolution and bloodshed in this country? 

Start to listen to the cries of the silent majority. 

People are already fedup, so get down to the basics and deliver. 

Nancy Gabi Molo

Mendi