Medical students from the University of Papua New Guinea Medical School have been conducting medical clinics and patrols in the communities bordering Enga and East Sepik Provinces as part of their practical training.
Third year UPNG medical student Pritchard Tabali said the two districts visited include Kompiam District in Enga Province and Angoram District in East Sepik Province, stated that,
“It was like treating people in the middle of the jungle. Some patients walked for hours to reach the clinic area just to receive treatment,” he said.
“There is no road link to these villages, and it would take them several days to reach Kompiam Station,” Tabali said.
He mentioned that final year medical students led the team in treating the patients.
“Resources are very limited, and unfortunately not all the patients’ received medications,” he said.
An emotional Tabali expressed his heartbreak as seeing some parts of PNG still lacking basic medical car.
“This is a learning experience for us as medical students in Kompiam, and we are able to provide medical care where it is needed most,” he said.
The three groups of medical students spent three days with the local communities conducting health clinics, patrols, and managing medical conditions in these rural areas.
Tabali concluded that final year medical students will continue to conduct patrols along the borders of Sepik and Enga this year.
