Angau Hospital Staff in Lae have expressed disappointment that their petition to remove the Acting CEO, Grant Muddle, has not been approved by the Morobe Provincial Health Authority Board.
Chairman of the Board, David Wissink responded to the petition in an official statment saying the petition was unsigned, a recruitment process is underway, and that Muddle remains Acting CEO of the Morobe Provincial Health Authority.
The Angau Staff said the Chairman has not responded to their grivances and allegations on missapropriation of hospital funds and Abuse of Public Service General Orders stated in the petition.
Following yesterday’s report on the scaling down of operations at Lae’s Angau Hospital, some Doctors and Nurses are attending to patients at the Accident and Emergency Unit, Labour Ward and other critical areas.
The cooperate services was shut down as the administration staff, Doctors and other Nurses gathered at the Hospital’s Chapel with placards, demanding the Morobe Provincial Authority Board to remove Grant Muddle as Acting CEO.
Muddle’s removal was based on allegations of misappropriation of hospital funds, breach of the Public Service Laws, and his appointment as Acting CEO.
Grant Muddle was appointed in absence by the Morobe Provincial Health Authority Board, as the Acting CEO on the 20th of June last year.
The Angau Staff said Muddle’s term expired on the 20TH of last month and demanded his removal as the Acting CEO of Morobe Provincial Health Authority.
Chairman of the PHA Board, David Wissink responded in an official statement yesterday saying that the petition was unsigned and recruitment is underway, including re-advertising for CEO applicants.
Meanwhile, Mr. Muddle remains acting Chief Executive Officer of the Morobe Provincial Health Authority
Today’s gathering was the fourth meeting held within a month by the staff of Lae’s Angau Provincial Hospital, the Country’s second largest referral Hospital.
The patients were neglected because the workers were trying to fight something that they claim is not right.
Aggrieved guardians of the patients have called on the higher authorities to seriously step in and address the issue so the patients can be treated with care.
By Julie Badui Owa, EMTV News, Lae
