By: Jim John
Patients are continuing to pack the Out Patient Department (OPD) at the Kiunga District Hospital in North Fly, Western Province due to medicine supplies not received on time.
Three months ago, basic medicines such as Amoxcillion, Panadol, Septrine, Mala-1 and others have gone out of stock since September, which have affected the clinical services in Kiunga.
A concerned parent Kure Patrick, who brought his twin daughters to get clinical checks at the Pediatrics (children’s) clinic this morning had to wait for 3 hours before being cared for.
“We are coming from the villages and going back so we should be receiving treatment on time. We arrived at the hospital at 7am and got served at 12pm. Regardless of holiday period or national event, we patients must be served on time.” he said.
He said parents with their babies and children waiting for long hours is not good, therefore clinical services should be delivered on time.
Other patients coming from rural villages along the Fly River and Kiunga-Tabubil highway villages also said clinical services in Kiunga needs to be improved so that they can get on PMV buses and go home early.
The hospital management team when contacted by EMTV NEWS said they are on scale down operations due to impacts of dry spell experienced in Western Province.
However, North Fly District had experienced heavy rainfall over the weekend and previous weeks.
According to Acting Hospital Manager Negege Kekela, some units at the hospital will not be opened to treat patients but major units such as emergency, general ward, maternity, and out- patient department will still be opened to treat the patients.
He clarified to patients in North Fly that basic drugs needed have been received after five weeks due to low water levels of the Fly River.
“The medicine supplies are in the container at the hospital and will be opened this week. Supplies for Tabubil hospital and other health centres are in the container now.” he said.
The Kiunga District Hospital is delivering clinical services as normal and people of North Fly are advised to take care of their own health to avoid from getting sick.
