The Laloki Psychiatric referral and training hospital outside Port Moresby, is in dire need of water, infrastructure and medication.
Last Friday, EMTV visited the hospital, and witnessed some harsh conditions the staff and patients are going through.
One of the main problems faced by staff and patients was the issue of water supply to the hospital. The lack of a consistent water supply has been a problem for many years now.
Chief Executive Officer, Getzo Yamele, said they are using bore water pumped from a well but this water is contaminated with calcium and is unfit for human usage.
Mr Yamele said the Health Department has allocated one million kina for water supply in the city to be connected to the hospital but that money is still with the Health Department because negotiations with Eda Ranu have been ineffective.
Every day, staff carry their containers and walk some distance to fetch water from a nearby water supply.
However, when pressure from this tap is low, they have no option but to use the bore water pumped from the well.
Even the CEO has no option, but to store drinking water in a container in his office.
The nurses use big blue containers to store water for the patients.
The hospital says it is spending five thousand kina per fortnight to pay Eda Ranu to bring 18,000 litres of water.
Infrastructure is another setback for this hospital. Staff are living in rundown houses, there is an overcrowdibg of patients and medical drugs are overdue.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=DcbhelVN2uA%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
