health system and clinical governance in PNG Neglected

Papua New Guinea HEALTH Minister Dr Lino Tom told a coroner’s inquiry that the deaths of four persons at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) in 2021 were through medical negligence by the clinical staff.
He told the inquest yesterday, after presenting the Health Department’s independent inquiry report: “By seeing the report, I can say from my opinion that the clinical staff at PMGH had abused their trust through medical negligence through which lives were lost.”
The report came eight months late for various reasons, including a change of health ministers and the general election.
“From a governance and operational stand-point, the audit revealed the failed clinical Government systems that contributed to the unfortunate loss of four lives at the Port Moresby General Hospital between August 12 and 13, 2021,” Dr Tom said.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Josephine Kilage, who led the inquest, said they would need some time to go through the independent inquiry report before they could summon other reliable witnesses to testify if need be.
“The report has been presented by the Health Minister so we have to go through it before we return in a week’s time,” she said.
The inquest was adjourned until Feb 10.
The four patients who died were 14-year-old Rex Wanzing, Omega Paul, Hitolo Asiboe and Thesesa Kapana.
The report was conducted to establish the cause of the deaths after they were administered a batch of propofol, an anesthetic, at the Port Moresby General Hospital on Aug 13, 2021.
“The audit team was independent and objective in its task and I am grateful for the report it delivered,” Dr Tom aid.
Upon tendering the report, Dr Tom acknowledged the presence of Wanzing’s parents.
“As doctors, when you wake up in the morning to go and see your patients, you don’t wake up with the intention to harm them but to heal and save lives,” he said.
“I am saddened to hear of the young life lost but I want to ensure the parents that I will work into improving the health system.”
Dr Tom said statements had been made by doctors in the report but the image of the clinical fraternity had been tarnished.
The audit was to:

• ​ASSESS whether the proper and appropriate clinical management of the cases was applied;
• ASSESS whether the national procurement and regulatory systems through which medicines and other medical supplies were procured were complied with; and,
• MAKE recommendations on its findings. He said the Government understood the implications of the system failures exposed in the clinical audit report that contributed to the four deaths.

He added that with the recommendations and executive summary suggested in the report, his ministry would look into ways on how to implement them.
“Two top priorities under my leadership would be to improve the health system and clinical governance which includes the procurement process of drugs,” Dr Tom said.

The National / PNG health News

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