Post Courier: Serious concerns raised about PIH
Controversy about the quality of care and unethical medical practices at the Pacific International Hospital has reached the pages of the Post Courier newspaper…
By Patrick Levo
Serious concerns have been expressed about the ‘modus operandi’ of the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby.
Public anger was raised against the private hospital after yet another avoidable death caused allegedly by the hospital’s uncompromising policy of “cash before treatment”.
In an email widely circulated, and on the social networking sites on the internet, angry Papua New Guineans and expatriates railed against PIH after the sad and unfortunate death of a 10-year-old child who was taken to the hospital on January 3 but was left unattended by medical staff and died because the mother did not have enough money to pay up front.
NauFM’s radio reporter Belinda Kora reported the hospital’s CEO was not available for comment but a spokesman said the incident was being investigated.
In an email from the United Kingdom where he is attending a health workshop, PNG Health Minister Jamie Maxtone-Graham said he was very concerned at hearing of the death.
Calling such behaviour a crime, the minister said:
“It is a very serious matter that needs urgent investigation.
“In my view, all doctors are duty bound (under the hippocratic oath they have all sworn to uphold) to save lives of all those who are in need, especially those who are in an emergency situation, regardless of whether they have money or not.
“If doctors at PIH have failed their hippocratic oath then they should be ashamed of themselves, they should go against their hospital policy and save a life, they shouldn’t be afraid to uphold their hippocratic oath.
“It is morally and ethically wrong for a doctor to stand by and watch a patient die before him or her, simply because the patient don’t have money, this in my view is a crime against society.”
Mr Maxtone-Graham said there is presently no law in place to enforce the hippocratic oath but he will work to change that.
“I will have to bring new legislation to ensure that in any emergency – life and death situation, all doctors in PNG will be required to assist that person in need of their services,” he said.
Expatriate former doctor Joshita Amai, who worked at the hospital from 2004-06 and later resigned and successfully sued the hospital owners in court told of harrowing cases of “extortion”, death caused by administration of wrong drugs, and patients left to die because their relations just did not have enough money to pay for their treatment.
Another former doctor called the practice ‘unethical’ and said the hospital was driven by the desire to make money that it went against international accepted medical practice.
Under the name Dr Lina, the former medic also claimed another doctor employed by PIH had no medical practice experience and another was hepatitis positive.
Dr Amai and Dr Lina detailed their experiences in the PNG Exposed blog online, which makes for unpalatable reading.
Email me at plevo@spp.com.pg or bigpatpng@gmail.com and tell of your horror PIH experience.
I believe PIH, should close down, alot of people have been dying there, because of payment first before attending to a patient, there are so many stories about this hospital, all these doctors there should be investigated, check all there files and the patients they treated,
the bills there are ridiculous.. i recommend to the public not to go there, go to Pom Gen.
PIH MANAGEMENTS RESPONSE FOR THE ALLEGATIONS CIRCULATED IN THE MAILS AND IN SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS
First of all, we outright deny any and all allegations levelled against Pacific International Hospital and it’s staff, as has been widely circulated in emails and in the social media networks recently.
We also state that a whole lot of untruths and distortions have been written about the Hospital, Doctors, and Nurses and that we welcome any investigation and will endeavour to co-operate fully with the respected offices and authorities in order that the real truth can prevail.
At this juncture, PIH cannot respond to all the false accusations levelled against the hospital and it’s dedicated staff as we are required by the law to respect the patient’s and his parent’s confidentiality at all times. If and when the parents’ consent to the medical information being made public is received, PIH will be gladly provide the real facts of the situation.
PIH stands firmly by it’s Mission Statement and Corporate Vision. PIH has never refused emergency lifesaving treatment in life threatening conditions and has helped save many lives on humanitarian grounds.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL
The people of Esaala will soon see the construction of a District Referral Hospital featuring the installed “TELEMEDICINE” facility linked directly to the PIH. The management will be PIH. What will become of the Esaala Health Centre because plans are now underway with construction to take place at the current Health Centre grounds. The people of Esaala are not millionaires to be accessing the facility. Wake up Moses Maladina and Dr Moharmmod and be realistic with this Govt funded project. PIH’s operations in the recent past weeks has been very bad. Its reputation can not be trusted given the aided deaths due to negligence and its strict policy on the fees it imposes. I just wonder as to how my poor people of Esaala will be able to appreciate this introduced highly charging fees medical facility. The application of this facility in such a rural area is totally a crazy idea and in doing so only encourages more deaths that can be avoided in Public Hospital. We demand Moses Maladina to explain clearly the concept he is introducing in collaboration with the PIH. The Esaala people’s lives will be at risk.
Who has ever heard of the public walking into FoodWorld and getting a free bag of rice ??? or walking into Brian Bells and getting a free fridge. My God Private health care must be paid for you whingers !!!!
Grow up you immature riff raffs..
Kleo yu must be one of the employees of PIH. Maybe you haven’t had a relative come there and suffer there or ofcourse you have endless supply of money so you wouldn’t have experienced what the rest of the public have had… You are not God and you too will die one day… Hope you save up well for that time.!
FACTS BEHIND THE TREATMENT PROVIDED TO THE PATIENT ON 3RD JAN 2012 AT PIH EMERGENCY ROOM – PIH STANDS FOR ITS DEFINITION.
Dr Joseph Aina duty doctor at PIH Emergency Room attended to the said patient, a 10 year old male child on 3-01-2012 at PIH ER, on his arrival at 12:30 pm, not at 9.30 am as alleged in the e-mails circulated in the last few days. The child was brought in by the mother and presented with a four day history of abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. The patient is 10 years old, Male, weighed 60 Kilograms.
As per history given by the mother, the patient was suffering from the abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea for the last 4 days. The mother first took the patient to JBK Medical Services, who referred the patient to PMGH. The mother however decided to bring the patient to PIH.
Upon presentation the patient’s vitals were: T 36Deg, Pulse 110/min, Respiratory Rate 30/min, BP was 90/60mmHg. Clinically, the patient was septic and severely dehydrated.
The treatment was commenced immediately, the doctors tried their best to get a vein to start the intravenous fluids, but the veins were collapsed and an emergency procedure of venous cut down was performed on the leg vein by Dr Laiam Kirau to get intravenous access. After the successful cut down, IV line was inserted; antibiotics and appropriate IV fluids were given to stabilize the patient. Due nursing care was given by the Emergency Sister In charge Sr. Rose Hal. PIH did not demand any procedure or treatment fee as it was a lifesaving emergency procedure.
The patient did not vomit any blood, as alleged in the circulated e- mail. PIH doctors provided prompt and immediate attention and appropriate first line medical care was given to the child, even though the PIH emergency was full of other patients at the time due to the holiday period.
After the patient was successfully given the appropriate first line medical care, the doctor advised the mother for admission, but due to financial constraints and severity of the illness, the family, upon doctors’ advice agreed to refer the patient to PMGH. PIH has no knowledge and was never made aware of the father’s attempts at transferring funds for admission and further treatment at PIH, as alleged in the e-mails.
The child was not rushed to PMGH as alleged, but was referred to PMGH after proper referral arrangements were made by the PIH referring doctor with Dr Jack at Accident & Emergency Department at PMGH to accept the patient for admission and further care. The patient was treated at PIH emergency room with intravenous fluids and IV medications until 4.30 pm and was then transferred to PMGH in the PIH ambulance with a nurse escort and a detailed referral note from the PIH doctor.
The child’s serious condition was explained to the mother by Dr Aina, from time to time during the brief stay at PIH. We made all possible efforts to save the patient’s life and were successful in reviving him but he was critically ill and needed to be referred to and treated at a Tertiary Care Facility.
The patient was brought to PIH after 4 days of sickness. Unfortunately the mortality rate for such late presentations in such a medical scenario is extremely high. We are sad to learn that patient succumbed to his illness and we pray that Almighty God rests his soul in eternal peace.
PIH stands by it’s Mission and Vision Statement – PIH has never refused emergency life saving treatment in life threatening conditions and has helped saved many lives on humanitarian grounds. We have written off over K350,000 in unpaid bills in the last few years and that is certainly ample proof of our magnanimity and corporate social responsibility.
Whilst we never stop treatment, we do transfer patients to the public hospital once they have been stabilized if they are unable to afford further private care or need to be treatment at a Tertiary Care facility. We always give the patients an estimate of their costs and choice to stay at PIH or get transferred to public hospital. Truth of the matter is that the hospital has to foot the bill as corporate social responsibility, for many such emergency cases, because some relatives do not honor their commitment to come and settle the bills. Perhaps they simply can’t afford it, but we as a private institution do not get any government subsidy or Ausaid and other NGO funding to be able to provide free care.
All resident doctors, permanent or moon lighters employed by PIH are constantly under supervision or working in consultation with senior consultant at all times. Like every service providing institution, one consultant in every discipline of medicine is on-call every day and every patient of concerned are always notified to the consultant.
With regards to the Hippocratic Oath, in Papua New Guinea, the Papua New Guinea Medical Board is the Custodian and Guardian of the PNG Medical Practice Code of Ethics, which housed the Hippocratic Oath. All medical services providers respect the PNG Medical Practice Code of Ethics. The Medical Board of PNG is the body that polices and ensures that all medical services providers, individuals or institutions adhere to the PNG Medical Practice Code of Ethics. At Pacific International Hospital we practice evidence based medicine with respect to the PNG Medical Practice Code of Ethics.
Please note this statement has been prepared and made entirely voluntarily by all the undersigned staff and no one has been coerced, forced or otherwise induced in any matter whatsoever by the Management to do so.
Peter Kennedy- Chief Operating Officer, M.A, D.H.A, M.H.M (U.K), M.B.A.
Dr. Amyna Sultan, MBBS, MD, FAAO, Diplomat American Board of Ophthalmology – Medical Director &Consultant Ophthalmologist
Dr. Paul Mondia, MBBS, M Med (Internal Medicine) – Consultant Internal Medicine
Dr. Onne Rageau, MBBS, M.Med (O & G) – Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Dr. Mathias Sapuri, MBBS, DGO, M.Med & O & G, DRACOG, DRACGP, FACTM
Consultant and Head of Department – Gynaecologist & Obstetrics
Dr. Frank Torova, MBBS, M.Med (Surgery) – Consultant General and Trauma Surgeon
Dr. Ringko Sitaing, MBBS, M.Med. (Anaesthesia) – Consultant Anaesthetist
Dr. Ronald Galicio, MD (Internal Medicine) – Consultant Cardiologist
Dr. Pius Umo, MBBS, M.Med (Radiology) – Consultant Radiologist
Dr. Nitin Datir, MBSS, MD (Paediatrics) – Consultant Pediatrician
Dr. George Pariwa, MBBS, M.Med (Internal Medicine) – Consultant Physician
Dr. Faisal Qureshi, BDS (Dentistry) – Consultant Dental Surgeon
Dr. Nick Dala, MBBS, M.Med (STI / HIV) – Emergency Doctor
Dr Joseph Aina, MBBS – Emergency Doctor,
Dr Kamilus Kuringi MBBS – Emergency Doctor
Dr Laiam Kirau MBBS – Emergency Doctor
Dr Vaishali Datir MBBS – Emergency Doctor
Dr Melissa Galicio – MBBS, Ward Doctor
Dr. Madhuri Yellamelli MBBS, DPM (Psychiatry) – Ward Doctor
Dr. Felicidad Cabrera, MBBS, MD – Emergency Doctor
Yes you are right , the onus lied upon relatives / guardians to make final decision to get to help destination and timeframe . Thanks good doctors