fully functioning; * Anaesthetic machine not working; * Only one steriliser available; * Only one fire extinguisher which was last serviced in 1997; * No stand-by generator; * In-built toilets for very sick in-patients and staff members have been without readily available water for the last 10 years or so; * All hospital wastes are discarded into wheely bins then to the waste disposal site; * Surrounding bushes used as toilets; and * Wash and hand basins without readily available water supply for the last 10 years or so. He said: "Instead of the medical staff administering curation of patients, they are indirectly worsening their ill-health with the situation they are in (e.g. cross-infection of diseases) from one patient to another through the medical staff." He said to hear of such inadequate and insufficient services provided at the hospital was uncalled for. Mr Suanika did meet with the provincial administrator and the hospital's assistant chief executive officer who both expressed their concerns but could not commit themselves due to financial constraints. Lorengau has two operational urban clinics including the hospital built at Lombrum Base for the asylum seekers. PNGNA General Secretary, Murray Paiva, said: "You've got to take care of your health workers in order for them to take care of you." The call by the PNGNA for the closure of hospital comes right after the raising of it's dissatisfaction over many-outstanding issues that national and provincial governments have failed to address on nurses conditions and employments, and a submission to the committee of inquiry regarding alleged corruption and mismanagement at the Port Moresby General Hospital. (see story on Page 4) The PNGNA believes the problem at Lorengau is a result of the continuous neglect by the government of health workers in the country. He said government has known about the situation at Lorengau for some time now but nothing has been done about it. He descri...
