Yagaum Rural Hospital in Madang District serves more than 300 thousand people despite the rundown state of the hospital.
CEO Chris Kerowa, says the rural hospital needs a major renovation to be carried out in order for the hospital to serve its purpose.
“There is a need for us to renovate the hospital because most of the facilities were built in the 1950s and are old with terminates damaging most of the buildings.”
Kerowa made the remarks following the official presentation of a new ambulance this week.
Yagaum is a Lutheran run rural Hospital. It serves over 300 thousand people of North and South Ambenob LLG of Madang District including Transgogol area.
But it also sees patients from the other 5 Districts of Madang province.
From the outside the hospital buildings appear to be in good condition but a closer look reveals the buildings are old and in need of renovation.
Meanwhile the number of fleets Yagaum has are in bad condition yet the hospital continues to use them to transport patients.
Recently the Madang District Development Authority partnered with Digicel Foundation and presented two fully knitted brand new ambulances.
One Ambulance was given to Yagaum rural hospital while the other was presented to another health facility in Utu.
Madang MP, Bryan Kramer says the District Development Authority contributed K100 thousand kina while Digicel foundation met the other half to purchase two ambulances.
“For now we got two ambulances and I look forward to continuing working with ELC PNG and Yagaum hospital. The hospital has listed are number of equipment they need at the hospital to use. This list is genuine thus I can get an aid donor to support and get for the hospital just like the ambulance.
Rural Hospital CEO, Chris Kerowa, says it will greatly assist them.
“Most times expectant mothers deliver their babies on the way to the main hospital though we are close to Madang District, due to the road condition some patients die on the way.
However, most times the road condition is another factor affecting the amount of time it takes to transport patients to the main hospital.
The current rural hospital facilities were built in the 1950s and have been operating for more than 60 years now with no renovation work done to the facilities.
For this, it is experiencing frequent operational problems making it also costly to operate.
CEO, Chris Kerowa, says the new ambulance together with the old ambulance will assist them with logistics.
By Martha Louis, EMTV News, Madang
