Minister for Defence Dr. Billy Joseph has condemned the brutal assault of a doctor by drunken members of the Police Force at the Gerehu Hospital in Port Moresby.
Minister Joseph said the attack on this doctor or other hardworking health professional while performing their duties of serving our people is ‘utterly heartless’ and condemnable in the strongest terms.
He said this kind of behaviour by members of the law enforcement agencies against civilians, especially doctors, is unacceptable, and would not be tolerated.
“As a medical doctor, seeing the photos of the victim with blood and bruises all over his face and body causes deep emotion of pain and anger in me and evokes my memories of the hardships these health workers go through every day, especially while on-call during the night,”
“I commend the Minister for Police, Hon. Peter Tsiamalili Jnr and Commissioner of Police David Manning for their leadership and prompt actions taken to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice to account for their actions,” Minister Joseph said.
While condemning the behaviour of the policemen involved, Minister Joseph also extended his sympathies to Dr. Thomas Aiyaka and his family and staffs of Gerehu Hospital who are traumatized by this incident.