A FULL report on the recent death of a child amongst several other fatal related cases that occurred on August 12 at PMGH will be tabled in Parliament this September session.
Prime Minister James Marape made the commitment in his response to a series of questions raised by East Sepik Governor Allan Bird on the issue when Parliament resumed yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 7th of September).
PM Marape said his office has so far received no report from the PMGH or the Health Department on the cause of deaths; therefore, he is not able to comment. But he assured Parliament that he is expecting a full report from an investigation conducted jointly by PMGH and the National Health Department to be given to the Minister for Health, Jelta Wong. The Health Minister will then table the report in Parliament.
PM Marape also extended his condolence and sympathies to the family of the young boy who died after an eye operation at the Port Moresby General Hospital Operating Theatre on August 12 and the families of the several related deaths.
East Sepik Governor asked a series of questions related to the PMGH recent deaths, procurement of medicine and the efficacy and standard of medicine brought in the country by certain contractors.
Governor Bird also questioned a particular contractor Borneo Pharmaceutical in its efforts in procurement of drugs and medical supplies into PNG. But PM Marape responded that the company was one out of several other contractors on a legal three-year contract.
The Prime Minister said he can only make his statement after a full report is tabled by the health minister.
He added that the Health Minister was absent from Parliament due to a death in his electorate therefore was not able to make a response.
Another health-related question was asked by the MP for Yangoru Saussia Richard Maru regarding funding of the cancer hospitals in Port Moresby and Lae.
Mr Maru said although cancer is a leading killer in PNG with 7,000 deaths annually, PNG has no world class cancer treatment hospital.
He asked the Minister for Planning Reinbo Paita if the government was committee to building world standard cancer treatment facility in Lae and Port Moresby under the Medium-Term Development Plan 3 which allocated K50 million.
Minister Paita said the government has spent K20 million so far on the two facilities. He assured that K50 million will be allocated in the next year’s budget 2022 to complete the cancer hospitals in Port Moresby and Lae.