The Madang town clinic is still not in a position to cater to additional patients referred from the provincial hospital.
The facility has not received any maintenance work for over 10 years leaving it in a deteriorated state.
Malangen Lucas, a patient at the clinic, told EMTV the clinic is rundown and needs urgent refurbishment in order to deliver better services.
The clinic’s ablution blocks are in no condition to be used while the whole structure has cracks on the floor boards and other sections in the building.
Even water supply into the building is a problem.
In June last year nurses were not able to attend to patients due to the deteriorating state of the facility.
Then In November of last year, nurses had to operate under a makeshift tent.
Madang PHA CEO in an interview last year said the provincial hospital would assist in the renovation works however no work has been done since December 2020.
The Madang District Health Manager also told EMTV that the District had even raised a cheque of K14, 000 to carry out renovation work.
Local MP, Bryan Kramer told EMTV that he wasn’t made aware of the issue and would inspect the clinic when he returns to the District this week.
Last Monday the clinic started receiving patients from the provincial hospital’s outpatients department after 10 staff of the Hospital staff contracted COVID-19.
Provincial Emergency Physician, Dr. Juith Gawi, says the town clinic will be operating in a crisis emergency mode.
Dr. Gawi added that the provincial hospital wants to combine their services with the urban clinics covid19 testing.
