A medical doctor doing his residency at the Port Moresby General Hospital Labour ward was beaten by Policemen on Wednesday night.
The young doctor will not be assisting mothers and babies in the Labour ward, because his eyes are completely shut and he has become partially deaf as a result of the beating.
Senior doctors say there is a shortage of doctors working with mothers and babies. Dr. Berry Newman’s inability to work will cause complications at the Labour ward.
This morning Professor Ikau Kevau, Dr. Osborne Liko and other senior doctors condemned the beating of the young medical officer.
The doctors collectively demanded action from the Police Commissioner and his deputies.
They’ve made the call after one of their own was badly beaten by cops in Tokarara.
“I dropped my sister and was turning back to Tokarara, they approached me when I stopped to change my tyres, they said I dropped off criminals and six of them punched and one kicked me on the right side of my ear,” said Dr. Newman.
Dr. Newman is now nursing serious injuries which will stop him from working at the Labour Ward.
He is part of a team of young doctors being trained to save the lives of mothers and babies.
But after the beating, he is deaf in the left ear and his eyes are completely shut. The injuries could become permanent.
“My right ear is not working anymore, I cannot see anymore. I don’t know why i was beaten up, I chose this career path to serve the people of this country,” the Labour ward trainee says.
Dr. Newman told EMTV News that he was taken to Waigani Police station where a policeman told him he could pick up his car in the morning after he pays the boys.
” They told me to go wash my face and treat myself, and then bring some money [so that] I can get my car,” Newman said.
Senior doctors at Port Moresby General Hospital say the matter will not be taken lightly. It will be taken to the Police Commissioner for the matter to be addressed.
Doctors are respected in the society for their services to health. The incident has brought disgrace to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.
Members of the public have gone on social media outraged by the actions of a few policemen tarnishing the reputation of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.
Police Commissioner Gari Baki was approached for a response.
