Doctors at the Angau Memorial Hospital walked off their jobs yesterday afternoon after being denied response from the hospital administration and the Department of Personnel Management on outstanding gratuities and staff shortage.
The Morobe PHA National Doctors Union had presented a number of petitions on these concerns to the administration, however, claimed that they never received any tangible response.
The Union stated three reasons for their protest.
- Failure by the hospital management to respond to numerous petitions;
- Failure to respond to the medical shortage issue; and
- Failure to honor the annual gratuity payments for the year 2020 to contracted officers.
Union President Dr. Barry Mutan said the union, to date, has yet to receive a response from the hospital’s management.
The Union are calling on the hospital management to attend to their demands.
- Provide formal response to all filed petitions since August 2020;
- Recruit, process and replenish the medical officer shortage; and
- Ensure the overdue gratuity entitlements are paid.
The Union said the Doctors will not work until these demands are met.
Attempts to get comments from MPHA CEO Dr. Kipas Binga were unsuccessful.
