‘Ticking time bomb’
COVID-19 surge puts PNG’s health system at its brink
A CORONAVIRUS surge that has seen the number of cases triple over the last month in Papua New Guinea has left patients to die in car parks as the nation’s health system verges on collapse.
In the past 24 hours, the country of 8.7 million people reported a record number of daily COVID-19 infections at 351, while the country’s major hospital has reported seven out of every 10 symptomatic patients are testing positive to the virus.
Putting pressure on the nation’s already vulnerable health system, the rise in cases will lead to increases in unexpected deaths, the Port Moresby General Hospital
have warned.
After a photograph went viral of a woman who died outside the hospital – where 90 per cent of beds in the intensive care unit are now full –– Port Moresby General Hospital CEO Dr Paki Molumi wrote that they expect “more of these incidents of unexpected deaths inside and outside of the emergency department and the hospital car parks”.
“As the number of COVID cases increase in the coming weeks, the limited staff at PMGH will not be able to take care of everyone,” Dr Molumi wrote.
At least 120 members at the hospital, many who work in the emergency department, have now tested positive to coronavirus and are in isolation.
“I urge the public to see this post on Facebook of the true situation at PMGH where you expect too much by an overstressed and limited health workforce. Help us to help you so we avoid more incidents like this,” Dr Molumi said.
Investigations are presently in progress into the woman’s death.
National Pandemic Controller David Manning warned the nation would be “facing challenging times” ahead.
“We came through the first wave of the virus spread better than many other countries because Papua New Guineans are a caring people, and because we want to keep our communities safe,” he said.
“But this second wave of infections is much worse than the first and we must not let our guard down. The number of detected COVID-19 infections today has reached 3359, which is triple the positive cases one month ago, and we must prepare for this number to continue rising.
“Now is the time for all of our people to be reminded how serious this threat is to us and continue to take precautions to stop the spread. We must wear face masks, we must wash our hands constantly and we must maintain social distancing everywhere possible.”
Chief emergency physician Dr Sam Yockopua said PNG’s fragile health system is already feeling the stress of the recent surge.
“We may very soon collapse if we are not careful. People, the public, need to take heed to comply with simple orders to avoid being unnecessarily sick to add to the stress,” he said.
“It is a ticking time bomb. The real danger days are fast arriving. When we get exhausted, we will all take our mass break and you will be on your own. It will soon happen if you do not comply with the measures being put in place to protect you.”