PNG Nurses Association says health overhaul needed

1:50 pm on 25 May 2018

The president of Papua New Guinea's Nurses Association says a complete overhaul of the health system is needed.

Papua New Guinea (July 7, 2015) Hospitalman Jaime Cavalleroserna, from San Francisco, takes patient vitals during a community health engagement. Medical personnel from the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in Kokopo  during Pacific Partnership 2015.

Jaime Cavalleroserna, from San Francisco, takes patient vitals in Kokopo, Papua New Guiena during a community health engagement. Photo: US Navy/Mayra A. Conde

Hospitals in the country were again in the grip of a supply and drug shortage, and 40 percent of aid posts around the country were closed.

Papua New Guinea's Nurses Association president Frederick Kebai said the system for procuring drugs was broken.

Mr Kebai said there were too many middle men and there was too much nepotism in the process, and money and supplies often went missing before they reached clinics.

"Drugs don't go down all the way to the people, they seem to disappear in the middle. So really the way that I see it, they should really concentrate on a standard way of procurement of drugs and the supply from that top level right down to the people," Mr Kebai said.

PNG Angau hospital

PNG Angau hospital Photo: RNZ Pacific

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