Media Releases

Story as reported in The National on 3rd of February, 2008

THE National Department of Health (NDOH) has signed a K5.5-million contract for the supply, installation and commissioning of biomedical waste incinerators for 14 major hospitals in the country. The contract was signed in agreement with Engineering and Construction Solutions Limited (ECS), a nationally owned company based in Port Moresby.

The project will cover hospitals in Port Moresby, Kundiawa, Wewak, Kimbe, Daru, Popondetta, Goroka, Mendi, Mt Hagen, Lorengau, Vanimo, Madang and Rabaul.
The payment for the 14 units has been made and the manufacture of the units has started in Mumbai, India.
The incinerators are being made by Steamotech.
The first of the four diesel-fired units will be ready for shipment this month.
A team of engineers from ECS and NDOH will travel to India to inspect and certify the equipment prior to shipment.
Under the contract conditions, ECS, in association with NDOH and Steamotech, will facilitate operator and technical training for health facilities branch technicians and engineers and other relevant hospital staff.
In a bid to improve management of biomedical waste at major hospitals throughout the country, the NDOH has prioritised the project.
The new incinerators will replace outdated equipment used at most of the hospitals.
When fully operational, the specially built incinerators are designed to ensure complete disintegration of medical waste at a rate of 50kg per hour.
Design specifications include equipment such as flue gas blowers, scrubber, fan and an eight-metre high chimney to ensure the performance of the equipment meets requirements of the country’s environmental, health and safety regulations.
ECS managing director Kelly Onne said the ECS team of engineers, technical and environmental specialists were currently conducting preliminary assessments of all the sites to collect relevant information that would be used to finalise the project implementation plan.
Mr Onne said implementation of all works would be in accordance with applicable industrial standards and relevant codes of practice.

Today, the 1st of August, 2008 was a very unusual day for the Board, Management and Staff of Goroka General Hospital.
We had a ceremony in which we officially handed over a Landcruizier back to Ela Motors, Goroka Branch after months of lengthy debates and arguments over the legalities of the ownership of the above vehicle.
Prominent leaders of the EHP were asked to attend as the intension was that the people and public have seen this vehicle serve them in various health services provided and it needed to be publicized so there is no confusion over the sudden return of the vehicle.
The Chairman of the Provincial Executive Council, Mr. Gideon Korarome, representative from the Office of the Deputy Governor Mr. Max Tuwatavari, Deputy Provincial Administrator Mr. Solomon Tato, Provincial Health Advisor and also Deputy Baord Chairman Mr. Ben Haili and Mr. Ted Jones were amongst the many that attended and witnessed the ceremony.
Dr. APA, the CEO of Goroka General Hospital thanked everybody for their attendance and emphasized that it was a genuine mistake by Ela Motors and that we were grateful of the time that we have used the vehicle. He emphasized that the vehicle is legally the property of Goroka Hospital, fully registered to GGH however ethics must prevail and that the vehicle had to be returned.
Senior officers of GGH showed concerns that margin error made by Ela Motors is not something that could be settled with such ease.
The Ela Motors Branch Manager, Mr. Bennie Irali admitted that Ela Motors had mistakenly given the vehicle to GGH when it was supposed to have gone Simbu.
He further advised that the company would donate some goods to the hospital mess as a token of their apology.
Mr. Tato, Mr. Korarome, Mr. Tuatavivi and Mr. Haili in their speeches pleaded with Ela Motors emphasizing that their Provincial Government will make available funds for the payment of the vehicle as it is very much needed for the delivering of Health Services.
However, Mr. Irali advised that the instructions from Ela Motors Head Office was for the immediate return back to the Ela Motors.
Mr. Ben Haili officially handed over back to Ela Motors the vehicle, with registration and keys and soon the ceremony was over.
The Management and Staff showed concerns but the remarks from the Chairman of the PEC and the Deputy PA were very encouraging. The management also appeal to the general public to assist the hospital an any way to have another vehicle for its many projects and programs.

Thank you,

Dr. Joseph APA
CEO – Goroka General Office.

NB: For additional photos from the Handover ceremony please click here.