by Bethanie Harriman – EM TV, Lae
Patients were refused entry into Angau’s accidents and emergency outpatient ward today because of overcrowding and hygiene problems.
Security guards had to regulate the amount of patients going in and out of the accidents and emergency outpatient ward due to the increasing number of people seeking treatment. The spike in numbers has also caused hygiene problems.
When floors inside are washed, the dirty water comes to patients seated outside on the footpath. Angau CEO, Dr Jim Abrahams explained that the provincial building board hasn’t approved new wards that will house patients.
“Can I put the patients into these new wards we just built? No, someone will say; the building board needs to approve it first,” said Dr Abrahams.
Angau has seen a significant amount of change in the last six months, but the problem has been dealing with government departments.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), lack of shelter and overcrowding are major contributors to the transmission of many diseases and infections such as typhus, cholera, scabies and others – these cases are more severe when the population density is high.
Overcrowded health facilities not only represent a concentrated area of patients but also a concentrated area of germs. The WHO describes the provision of extra facilities and proper organisation of health care sites and services as a priority.
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