A senior management staff member of the National Capital District Health Authority (NCDPHA) was arrested and charged on Thursday for misappropriating K1 million in state funds. The suspect faces charges of conspiracy to defraud, abuse of office, and misappropriation under the Criminal Code Act. She is currently held at the Boroko Police Station.
The arrest followed an investigation by the National Fraud and Anti-corruption Directorate in Konedobu. During her Record of Interview (RoI), it was revealed that she, along with 11 other individuals, received extra salaries through an unauthorized offline payroll system in pay period No. 13 of 2023. A laboratory technician at the Port Moresby General Hospital appeared in court for allegedly stealing lifesaving tubes valued at K7,000.
Committal Court Magistrate Paul Puri Nii read the charges to Jonathan Ipoipo, 59, from Unggai’s Ramu village in Eastern Highlands, and adjourned the case to August 8 for further mention. Police prosecutor Sgt. Peter Samghy informed the court that this was Ipoipo’s first appearance for arraignment. The complainant, hospital chief executive officer Dr. Paki Molumi, alleged that Ipoipo was working as the second-in-charge of the haematology laboratory at the time of the incident. The National St John Ambulance Service manages approximately 4,000 emergency calls each day and responds to around 60 per shift, according to Alexander Dimain, Commander for Ambulance Education. Dimain highlighted the immense pressure faced by emergency ambulance drivers and the extensive training they undergo to manage this stress.
In response to the demands of their work, St John Ambulance has launched a new training program for its drivers and commanders. The advanced emergency driving course began on Monday at their headquarters for the first group of six commanders and drivers and concludes today. This training will also be rolled out to regional stations in Lae and Kokopo. The management of Laloki Psychiatric Hospital is conducting thorough checks on patients who have been neglected over a nine-month period from 2023 to 2024. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Losavati Aisi revealed that a significant number of psychiatric detainees had not received attention during this time.
“We receive two to three court orders every two weeks from correctional institutions nationwide, as Laloki is the only specialist psychiatric hospital in the country,” Dr. Aisi explained. She added that they are currently reviewing files and coordinating with prisons to assess the status of these patients. Over 400 nurses across the eight districts of Eastern Highlands are on high alert due to imminent shortages of life-saving medicines, caused by an ongoing dispute over the chief executive officer (CEO) position at Goroka Hospital.
The president of the Eastern Highlands Nurses Association, Noxy Gunere, stated that the conflict has stalled the purchase and procurement of essential clinical supplies necessary for primary patient care. Gunere urged the Provincial Health Authority (PHA) board to swiftly resolve the suspension of former CEO Dr. Joe Apa and the appointment of acting CEO Dr. Pomusa Warima. PORT MORESBY - Over 35,000 Papua New Guineans will call for help from the National St John Ambulance Service (NStJA) this year. The Green Angel’s workload continues to increase as more people gain access to these vital services, according to NStJA PNG Chief Executive Officer Matt Cannon.
Speaking during the International St John Day and the launch of the Nambawan Trophy Limited (NWTL) Green Angel Appeal at the NStJA HQ in Taurama, Cannon outlined the initiative's goal: to raise K1 million by the end of this year. The funds will support the NStJA by purchasing additional ambulances and sustaining operations. Australian Volunteer Medical Team to Perform Life-Saving Surgeries at Port Moresby General Hospital6/21/2024
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - This weekend, a dedicated team of eight volunteer nurses and doctors from Open Heart International (OHI), Australia, will perform life-saving open heart surgeries at the Port Moresby General Hospital’s Operation Open Heart Centre.
The team, led by heart surgeon Dr. Jayme Bennetts, arrived yesterday with plans to operate on six to seven patients during their stay. "I am hoping to do at least two a day for the next few days," Dr. Bennetts stated, emphasizing that the actual number will depend on patient readiness for surgery. PNG Health Department Calls for K514 Million to Combat Tuberculosis Over Next Three Years6/13/2024
Papua New Guinea needs K514 million over the next three years (2025-2027) to address tuberculosis (TB), according to an official from the Health Department. Dr. Sibauk Bieb, executive manager of public health, explained that this amount excludes the K17 million already provided by the Global Fund, which begins a new grant cycle in 2027.
Dr. Bieb shared this information with Health Secretary Dr. Osborne Liko, Deputy Secretary for Public Health Ken Wii, and other partners during the conclusion of an emergency tuberculosis programme in Port Moresby on Tuesday. ![]() Australia and Papua New Guinea have commenced a new phase of their PNG Snakebite Partnership, aiming to combat the prevalence of snakebites and improve health outcomes in Papua New Guinea. The partnership will be implemented by St John Ambulance in collaboration with Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) / Seqirus Pty Ltd and the National Department of Health. This new phase follows five successful years of implementation by the Charles Campbell Toxinology Centre and the Australian Venom Research Unit (AVRU) of the University of Melbourne. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea — Dr. Noah Tapaua, the surgery coordinator at Port Moresby General Hospital, has been honored with the Fellowship of the Asia Pacific Society of Cardiology award. The award was presented by the Asia Pacific Society of Cardiology in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on May 3, in recognition of Dr. Tapaua's exceptional clinical achievements and his significant contributions to the community.
Dr. Tapaua's award underscores the groundbreaking cardiac work being undertaken in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to establish a specialized cardiac service. "For me, it is the cardiac work that we are doing in PNG to establish our specialist service," Dr. Tapaua remarked. "It is the first for our country and the Pacific Islands. It is the recognition of our efforts to establish a cardiac specialty and for the progress we’ve made." |
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