PORT Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) will be scaling down its services effective Wednesday, 6 October, 2021.
The CEO of the Hospital Dr Paki Molumi released a circular this afternoon warning the public in NCD of the 3rd wave of COVID-19 cases which the hospital is currently dealing with.
“Since the end of September, PMGH has been experiencing a 3rd Wave of COVID-19 with a current admission of 88 COVID-19 patients, 30 of which were admitted in the last 24 hours.”
“This number is expected to rise over the next couple of weeks before things settle down.”
“All hospital clinical and related services will therefore be scaled down for a period of two weeks as staff are reorganized and deployed to critical areas such as the Emergency Department, Medical Ward 3B, Isolation Ward and the Taurama Aquatic Centre (TAC),” said Dr Molumi.
The situation will be monitored closely over the coming days with daily updates and further advice.
In the meantime, the following services will be affected as a result of these measures to mitigate and address the surge of COVID-19 cases in the hospital (per internal Circular).
- PATHOLOGY SERVICES Urgent tests, for example, Cross Match and blood transfusion services will be maintained with strict implementation of Niupela Pasin measures during blood collection. Routine risk categorization and decontamination activities to be maintained at all times. Appropriate staff Isolation and clinical assessments to be deployed as required.
- SURGICAL SERVICES All ELECTIVE surgeries are on HOLD indefinitely. Emergency surgeries will continue to be provided in both the General and Specialty surgical operations as well as Obstetrics/Gynecology Emergency Services.
- CONSULTATION CLINIC All consultation clinics to be closed effective of Wednesday, 6 October, 2021 until further notice. Clinicians who have patients to be reviewed per respective clinical assessments to make special arrangements convenient to yourselves and your clients.
- TB CLINIC TB Clinic to be open as per schedules, however, must maintain Niupela Pasin measures; limit number of clients per clinic, maintain social distancing, hand sanitizing and wearing of face masks.
- EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT Only emergency and life-threatening conditions will be attended to at the Emergency Department. All non-emergent medical conditions are advised to seek medical attention from available clinic facilities in the city.
- RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT Emergency and in-patient radiology services will be maintained throughout this scale-down period. All other requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine urgency. This exercise is to control overcrowding within the Medical Imaging Department. Niupela Pasin measures to be observed by all concerned when accessing services at the Radiology Department.
- ALL OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES Other essential and specialty services to maintain new normal practices of COVID-19; social distancing, wearing face masks, hand sanitization and make individual risk assessments and manage accordingly. These services include Dental, Physiotherapy, Social Works, Heduru Clinic, Oncology, Antenatal and General Support Services.
- VACCINATION Hospital staff and the public are encouraged to get vaccinated at the vaccination sites within the hospital and other sites in the city.
- PMGH PHARMACY Dispensing of prescription medications will be maintained with limited capacity including reducing operating hours Monday to Friday.
- ALL STAFF Staff are expected to attend to duties per your respective rosters including call-out to critical areas within the hospital during this period.