PNG-Australia alumni group donates instruments to Modilon

Source: 

The National - Tuesday, February 15, 2011 

By  ELIZABETH MIAE
THE PNG-Australia Alumni Association (PNGAAA) has come to the aid of Madang’s Modilon Hospital with the donation of two new blood pressure (BP) machines to its ante natal clinic and the labour ward.
The BP machines are very important medical equipment that are needed in every health facility but unfortunately staff at these two facilities at Modilon have been using one each to examine pregnant women.
The PNGAAA had initially planned to donate the machines to the Lutheran School of Nursing (LSON) however the school decided that the machines be given to the hospital instead.
LSON midwifery coordinator Elizabeth Natera said they saw the hospital’s need for these machines and it (hospital) was also used as a training ground for LSON students.
She said they would also be requesting for additional BP machines for the post natal and gynecology wards.
Obstetrician and gynecologist Dr John Bolnga said the new BP machines would go a long way in assisting the staff at the maternity wing with their daily work.
“The ante natal clinic sees about 100 pregnant women in a week, including those that travel in from the rural areas,” acting sister in charge of the ante natal clinic Margaret Gemo said.
She said apart from the ante natal clinic, they also have family planning clinic and it was a must that the women had their blood pressures checked.
PNGAAA chairperson Menser Wagun, when presenting at the hospital last Friday, said that as Papua New Guineans who were educated in Australia, they were challenged by the government to help improve the health of its citizens.
She said this was part of a small health project by the association that they hoped to expand throughout the country.
Wagun told the gathering that 13 machines were given to University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine, another 12 were given to Maprik hospital in East Sepik and 10 to Milne Bay.
The first phase of the project was a mobile clinic at Gaire village in Central’s East Hiri district.

Modilon General Hospital crisis lingers

By JAYNE SAFIHAO, The National

THE Modilon General Hospital management crisis is far from over since the court ordered the week-long sit in protesters to return to work.
One of the orders by justice David Cannings was for the disputing parties to talk to each other and finding solutions to outstanding work, pay and other conditions.
However, they had not met as the staff say that the one-person management team was not worth meeting.
The staff were also angry at a weekend announcement by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare that the National Executive Council had confirmed the three-year appointment of Sr Christine Gawi as Modilon CEO.
“I call on all specialist doctors  and other hospital staff who have gone on strike to resume duties while the administration looks into the issues raised,” Sir Michael said.
He said the Personnel Management Department was preparing a contract of employment for Gawi to sign.
However, the 200-plus signatories to the petition put numerous times to the Health Minister Sasa Zibe and secretary Dr Clement Malau, are now questioning the legality of the recent appointment.
Their lawyer, Young Wedau, when expressing his view, said since the advertisement of the CEO position on May 30, 2008, seven people applied of which only five were selected.
“The five were then screened and only three names were given to the board.
“The long delay in appointing a CEO proper has so far seen two of those three short-listed leave Modilon for better jobs.”
“The (hospital) board then should have re-advertised.
“Gawi was then the director of nursing services and was only acting CEO being the only one left of the three.
“Currently, her two counterparts  – director finance and administration and director medical services – were also on acting position at that time,” he said.
Wedau claimed that under the Regulatory Statutory Authorities Act 2004, proper procedures were not followed.
“It must be based on merits and nothing has been gazetted.”
The hospital staff has until Friday to reach some sort of consensus with Sr Gawi and her executive arm.
“Otherwise, all matters will go before Cannings for further legal clarifications.