by Jim John
At least two people have died and more than 20 patients were given open referrals as medicine shortage continues in Morehead health centre in South Fly District of Western Province.
Of the two deaths, one was a teenage girl who was feeling nauseous and died last month in Bula village as there were no medical supplies for her condition.
She was given an open referral to seek medical assistance in Daru hospital but the difficulty of transportation led to her unfortunate death.
Currently, patients seeking medical treatment are being turned away because there are no supplies in the health centre.
Nursing officer in charge Guma Kaliya says, the situation has brought about more struggles for health workers to serve the patients.
She says the health centre is in dire need of medical supplies.
These supplies include antibiotics as Amoxicillin tablets, capsules and suspension, sterile water for injection, Ciprofloxacin, Paracetamol, Doxycycline, Clindamycin and Levofloxacin among others.
She says these supplies have gone out of stock since February this year.
Being the main health centre, Morehead Health Centre treats 20 to 50 patients on a daily basis and serves 33 villages in the Morehead area.
EMTV News has also confirmed with health centre in Boboa Station of Lake-Murray, and Obo health centre in Middle Fly District today that shortages of basic medical supplies have gone out of stock since July this year.
Health workers in these areas are struggling to serve the patients with the few available medicines and are calling on Provincial Health Authorities to look into this matter immediately.
