Shortage of medical supplies

MEDICAL supplies in Gulf have run out of stock since the onset of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, an official says.
Gulf health authority (PHA) acting chief executive officer Hohora Suve said: “We’ve been aware of the medical drug shortage for some time now due to underfunding of the area medical store by the Government.”
Suve said so far, up to K70,000, had been spent by the authority and despite all odds, they were prepared to use more funds from the authority.
“The authority is prepared to dig deeper within its resource pool to ensure that hospitals and rural facilities throughout the province are equipped with basic medical supplies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kerema General Hospital was in need of vehicle support for emergency cases during election period.
Hospital ambulance supervisor Tom Kairi said: “Currently, we have only one ambulance active in service and is used to refer patients from the hospital to Port Moresby General Hospital if necessary.”
Kairi said that the ambulance stretched its services as far as Iokea in Malalaua, referring severe cases to Kerema Hospital and the critically ill to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
“Our Malalaua health centre ambulance is out of service and we have been using a hired vehicle to refer patients to the Kerema hospital,” he said.
While he understood that people would be flooding into town during the polling and counting period, the possibilities of election related issues would rise.
“Because we have only one ambulance, we will have to carefully consider our options to help transport emergency cases.”
On an average basis, the drivers were expected to return into town after transporting patients and to start operations the following day.