Image: Bill Kapi with the new dental equipment for Tari General Hospital
Hela Provincial Health Authority (PHA) with Oil Search Foundation have donated a brand new automatic dental chair and machine on Thursday, February 23, to Tari General Hospital Dental Clinic Department.
According to reports received from Bill Kapi, a nursing officer at the hospital, it was the first time for Tari hospital to receive a gift from the new PHA system that was established in October last year.
Kapi told EMTV Online the dental machine with other necessary support equipment were bought in Australia at the total cost of K300,000.
Acting CEO Ms. Elisabeth Boyd and the management staffs thank the former CEO Dr. Hewali with the Chairman of Hela PHA Peter Botten for buying essential quality instruments and equipment for the hospital.
Boyd says the machine will perform quick effective and quality job.
“More hospital equipment is on board and will arrive in two months’ time,” Boyd said.
According to the Acting CEO, procedures including tooth extraction, tooth filling, tooth cleaning and installation of false teeth will be done at the hospital.
Ms Boyd also welcomes the new and expert dental therapist Mr. Soma Fito from Goroka.
Soma reiterates that Tari Hospital is privileged to have such automatic dental machine as some hospitals in the country don’t. He confirms they will start using the machines on Monday, 27 February 2017.
In 2015, Doctor Pasion Dakulala, told EMTV News that dental set ups are non-existent in major hospitals in Papua New Guinea. He says most dental facilities have deteriorated over the years, some to the point where they have closed down.
Meanwhile, reports confirm Papua New Guinea is at the top of the list globally in terms of having the highest incidence rate of oral cancer.
