By Sharlyne Eri – EMTV News, Port Moresby
After facing prolonged issues with lack of equipment and staff, the Milfordhaven Clinic in Lae, today, received over K75,000 worth of medical equipment. The donation was by Islands Petroleum, a Lae-based company, who recognized the clinic’s need last year.
Since then, the company along with sponsors, raised funds through its charity color run event to help the clinic. Today, community members within Lae’s ward 3 area, where the Milfordhaven Clinic is located, gathered to witness the presentation.
Among other materials presented today were wheel chairs and microscopes. These equipment will improve service delivery for patients, who previously had to travel to Angau for better treatment. Islands Petrolelum Manager, Shehab Das said he hopes this initiative will also improve the quality of life of people within this community.
“They will now not have the need to go to Angau for blood tests or diabetic test as the equipment we are quite fancy and will help,” he said.
The Milfordhaven Clinic was built in the 1960s and serves about four to five hundred patients a day. Previously, it had to be closed several times due to deteriorating infrastructure and lack of staff and equipment. Officer in charge, Lazarus Kalealonan says the new equipment will improve the standard of the clinic and boost staff performance.
“We have students who study abroad, especially as Lab Technicians but they avoid small clinics like this because there is no equipment. These new equipment will attract these type of people to come and work here,” Kalealonan said.
Mr Kalealonan said issues with limited equipment and staff is common among other clinics within Lae and therefore, was thankful for the assistance.
Another who shared Mr Kalealonan’s sentiments was Belinda Jairus. She’s lived in the ward three area for most of her life and said this was the first time she’s seen the clinic get such assistance.
