By Bethanie Harriman – EM TV, Lae
Lae’s Angau Accident and Emergency Section is expecting to deal with alcohol-related accidents during the festive season.
It comes after past experiences of treating victims of car accidents, stab wounds and multiple lacerations caused by fights.
Head of the Accident and Emergency Unit, Dr. Alex Piawi, says staff have gone for holidays and urged people to celebrate safely to avoid death.
Dr. Piawa’s concerns are about alcohol-related accidents and deaths that follow.
Lae Metropolitan Superintendent Iven Lakatani said that Lae police will carry out traffic operations to curb the number of accidents.
He said police would be mounting roadblocks during the festive season.
However, staff at Angau’s Accident and Emergency are still ready to treat those who become casualties of the celebrations.
During previous years the section was, and will always be, one of the busiest units at the Memorial Hospital, treating up to 500 patients per day.
In the next four days however, the unit will be tested with most staff away on a break and a chronic staff shortage.
“We have staff shortages because most have gone for break, so we will be dealing with emergencies only,” says Dr. Piawa.
Every year there is a steady rise in the number of patients coming in for treatment at the hospital during the festive seasons. This season is expected to be no different.
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