Suspected Covid-19 patient in PNG died from cancer, says doctor

A DOCTOR says a man who died at the Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Hospital in Kundiawa, Chimbu, last week had died of cancer and not from Covid-19.
Hospital chief executive officer Dr Guapo Kiagi said Charles Bolkum of the Awakane clan, Kamaneku tribe in Kundiawa-Gembogl had a sore in his rectum which developed into a cancer.
He was replying to Bolkum’s relatives who accused the hospital of not conducting a proper diagnosis on him before putting him in isolation as a person of interest.

Dr Kiagi said Bolkum, 35, was being looked after by the surgical unit and his cancer sample was taken for pathology tests when the state of emergency was declared.
“He was at home before he returned to the hospital after developing cough and shortness of breath as the cancer spread around the organs, distracting his lungs causing the shortness of breath,” Dr Kiagi said.
He said Bolkum had no symptoms of the Covid-19.
“Doctors at the ward confirmed he had no symptoms of the Covid-19 and was only suffering from complications developed from the cancer,” Dr Kiagi said.
Bolkum died last Sunday.
“Specialist doctors at the hospital who looked after him did not label him as a Covid-19 patient,” Dr Kiagi said.
The National/PNGHealthNews

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