Angau under Threat!

Services at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae came to an unofficial stand still this morning when many health workers refuse to work, in fear for their safety. Workers gathered together this morning to air their frustrations over certain separate incidents, allegedly linked, that happened over the weekend. 

The hospital bus, while dropping off shift workers at around 10 pm on Saturday night, was fired upon by unknown gunmen at two different locations in Lae city – Backroad and Ten City. The tyres were believed to be the target, but bullets instead shattered the windscreen and perforated the fuel tank. The nurses inside dived for cover under the seats, but the driver courageously drove them to safety. Fuel was pouring from the fuel tank when they arrived at the hospital.

   At Nawai, stones were hurled at the same vehicle prior to the above incidents. The bus is currently nursing wounds at a police station.

   That same night, gunmen were seen patrolling the corridors of the hospital, looking for any ‘doctors or nurses’ to shoot at. The Hospital Switch was alerted, and they immediately notified all workers to stay behind locked doors until the police arrive.

   Anonymous callers also called the wards and the emergency department, telling the workers not to come to work. The labour ward was without a health worker last night as workers fled following a threatening anonymous call.

   A medical officer who works in the labour ward was also assaulted physically.

   These happenings allegedly followed the death of a pregnant mother in the labour ward. The relatives claimed that both the mother and the baby died because they were not attended to early enough by the medical staff. Though the Labour ward staff rejected the claim, unconfirmed reports stated that a caller threatened to continue harassing the health workers until they end a life as revenge.

   At around 10:30 am this morning, there was a stop-work as all workers gathered together, and demanded the management to guarantee their security if they want them to continue to work. They asked that the current security firm at the hospital be replace with either Guard Dog or G4S Security personnel.

   If security will not be guaranteed, then all workers, especially Nursing Officers and Community Health Workers will work only the 8 am – 4 pm shifts.

  The CEO and the Hospital Board Chairman were present to receive their grievances. The Board Chairman promised that he will take the matter to the Provincial Administrator today, and will get back with an answer by 3:30 pm today.

   Workers were asked to go back to work but many refused, saying that they would start work as soon as their security is guaranteed.

   At 3 pm, the staff were re-addressed by the Board Chairman, this time with the police head. They were assured that a police vehicle will escort the hospital bus for drop-off and pick-up only of shift workers, as an immediate measure until a permanent one is found. The head cop also said that he had ordered his men to 'shoot-to-kill' anyone attemping to interfere with the hospital vehicle or staff at night.

   The health workers are now back at work, because their security is now theoritically guaranteed!