KUMUL Petroleum Holdings Limited’s Managing Director Wapu Sonk presented the second batch of equipment to the soon-to-open Port Moresby General Hospital Heart Centre on Friday, May 28, exactly one week after delivering the first boxes of specialist medical equipment.
The donation is part of Kumul Petroleum’s continued efforts in committing K50 million to the establishment of a National Heart Center, as set out in an MOA signed with POMGEN and the National Department of Health in August of 2020.
POMGEN Chief Executive Officer Dr. Paki Molumi who was there to officially receive the donation, said that the purchase of the cardiac supplies will not only adequately equip the Heart Centre but prepare it to meet international standards.
“This partnership with Kumul Petroleum Holdings has enabled us to go for the highest quality equipment that we could find anywhere around the world.
“This second presentation of cardiac equipment is from KARL STORZ, a world-class German endoscope manufacturer. The first presentation was of the smaller equipment for the non-invasive diagnostics, services such as ECGs (electrocardiogram).
“The larger equipment, which includes the echo (echocardiogram) and treadmills, are still on the way. They are American made and are of the highest quality that any hospital in the world can have. They are still on order and we have the next presentation to present that,” Dr Moumi said.
He thanked Kumul Petroleum and its Managing Director for their continued support, and reassured them of their commitment to seeing the establishment of the first national cardiac center of its kind and standard in PNG.
“The infrastructure is 95% complete. We are trying to achieve a more holistic approach where we get the right equipment, train the right manpower and having the best facilities in place so that we ensure long term sustainability.”
The presentation took place in the refurbished Cardiac Non-Invasive Unit. The equipment that was donated on Friday consisted of tools such as scopes and intubation devices among others that are to be used for diagnostic purposes.
“Today’s presentation is of the endoscopes that cardiothoracic surgeons use, it is used in invasive surgery where the chest is not opened up completely. The thoracic cavity can be accessed through a hole, using these machines here, so that if you want to get a biopsy from the back of the heart or lungs, you don’t need to open up the entire chest or organ but simply pass this equipment to get a biopsy. This equipment also allow you to take images of the back of the heart to get a more detailed look into its functions, the scopes will pass through the esophagus to allow for that,” Dr. Molumi described.
Director of the Sir Buri Kidu Heart Foundation Professor Sir Isi Kevau, who paid witness to the presentation, was grateful that through donations such as this, cardiac practice in PNG is now able to advance to the invasive method of diagnosis and treatment.
“We set up the Sir Buri Kidu Heart Institute in 1995 after the death of Sir Buri Kidu in 1994 to address patients with heart disease. The plan was to diagnose heart disease and look at the pattern after doing a set of non-invasive tests, where we used machinery to look into the heart without putting a needle into the body. After that we looked towards a time when we would do invasive tests to clear blockages to save the heart. So we’ve come a long way from non-invasive in 1995 to now invasive, and for this I thank KPHL and anybody else that has been involved in this transformation and movement into the next direction.”
KPHL Managing Director Mr. Wapu Sonk commended Dr. Molumi, Professor Kevau and the other specialist doctors on advising for the precise equipment list and contacts to ensure the best was ordered for the heart center.
“The board is committed to seeing the spending of the K50 million we set aside last year on the right equipment, in developing the right skills and making sure that the service is delivered at an affordable price to our people.”
Sonk also announced that K7.3 million has been committed to complete the structural work of the cancer facility, wherein POMGEN can engage in the completion of both the cardiac and cancer units. He said that KPHL is also working with the Lae general hospital to upgrade the ANGAU Memorial National Cancer Services, as part of their commitment in an MOA that was signed last year in August as well.
Kumul Petroleum Executive General Manager for Corporate Services Luke Liria who was also present, clarified that the K7.3 million will be taken from the K50 million given that the actual costing of the cardiac support is K42 million and the K50 million was allocated as a buffer to allow for additional costs.
Dr. Molumi advised in closing the presentation that another aspect of ensuring the heart facility will be of the highest standard is engaging in quality human resource.
“We are not only looking at treatment, we are looking at sustaining this program in the long run as well, so we have to ensure we have the best human resource so that this equipment is put to good use.”
“We have recruited an Interventional Cardiologist who has started on Monday, he is getting the catheterization lab machine prepared. This is the machine that will carry out invasive surgery into the heart to determine if there is a possible blockage of one of the arteries that feed the coronary arteries so that we can put a stent to then correct it.”
“This service will be shortly offered to the people of Papua New Guinea so that we don’t have to travel to Singapore or Philippines or Australia, we can have that service in country.”
The National Heart Center and 28-bed cardiac ward will soon be opened to cater for patients undergoing invasive procedure, or any other cardiothoracic surgery, following the final stages of structural work and delivery of key supplies, Dr. Molumi added.