St John Ambulance to receive K1.5mil annually

ST JOHN Ambulance will be getting an annual funding of K1.5 million from the Department of Health, an increase of 80 per cent from the previous amount of K300,000 a year, Chief Commissioner Mollen Molki, pictured, says.
Molki said the funding increase will enable St John Ambulance to run Papua New Guinea’s first paramedic programme and establish services in the main centres like Lae, Mt Hagen, Goroka, Rabaul and Wewak.
“We have operated in Wewak, Bougainville, which was closed down during the crisis and remains closed,” he said.
“We have one in Popondetta that’s also closed due to non-support from the host province.”
Molki said the new funding will help St John Ambulance increase and improve the service as well as the level of care provided.
“The emergency response team that the paramedic team will be, they will have  special response vehicles equipped with lifesaving medical equipment,” he said.
“In an event of a medical emergency these people will be the first line responders.
“They will be at the scene restoring life, stabilise the patient and then the ambulance will go later to bring the patient to the hospital. This will be the level of care we are looking at.”
He said there is a strategic plan in place to revitalise and expand the service to other provinces throughout Papua New Guinea,  including ambulance posts in Port Moresby, starting with Gerehu General Hospital.