All health workers in PNG should be vaccinated, Molumi says

GIVEN the continual gross negligence of the public to the Covid-19 control measures, the risk of the third wave of the Covid-19 hitting Papua New Guinea’s fragile health system is high and all health workers should be vaccinated.
Port Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi said the rate of infection at the hospital had dropped with only 14 mild to moderate patients admitted as of Friday and expected to be discharged over the next three weeks.

“Towards the end of February and beginning of March, we had a 60-70 per cent positivity rate meaning six to seven patients of every 10 patients presenting with symptoms tested positive for the Covid-19,” he said.
“At one time, we had around 70 cases in the wards.
“Now, it has gone down to 15 or less than 10 per cent, but that doesn’t mean that we are not going to have a third wave.
“When the first wave hit us, we thought that was that. But when the second wave came, it hit us big with 242 of our front line staff infected (they have all recovered and are working).
“The third wave might be more severe and the only way that we can assure ourselves that we are safe is by vaccination.
“I am sure the staff are psychologically prepared for the next wave, but when the number of cases come in big numbers, it can cripple our health system.
“Our health system is fragile so we will not be able to contain even if we are prepared.
“We’ve got to ensure that the third wave does not reach a number that our health system will not be able to cope with resulting in its collapse.
“That is why we, as health administrators, are pushing everyone to be vaccinated so that we reduce that risk and we can save our health system.”
Dr Molumi said, so far, 422 hospital staff had been vaccinated and there had been an increase in the number of nurses.

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