New PIH to bring in country's firsts in medical treatments

Caption 1: Product image of a Philips MRI Scan, currently installed at the New PIH Hospital.

Caption 2: Entrance of New PIH undergoing finishing touches

Caption 3: PIH CEO Dr Amyna Sultan

By MATTHEW

Sunday, November 9, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

LONG has it been the case for the for the sick and seriously injured to receive treatment to a certain extent in the country before seeking lifesaving treatment overseas as such is not available in the country.

The New Pacific International Hospital (PIH) is now set to bring in medical procedures that previously could only be undertaken overseas.

In a tour of the new PIH for the media last week at the renovation of what was once a dormant private hospital built by Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL), through Independent Public Business Corporation above the hill behind the 3 mile Port Moresby General Hospital.

Currently undergoing major fitting of equipment the state built facilities were tendered on a 40 year lease through the Public-Private initiative for PIH to bring in capacity in medical treatment badly needed by Papua New Guineans.

PIH CEO, Dr Amyna Sultan speaking at a conference at the site of the new PIH, said that through a partnership with the State through the government’s business arm IPBC the hospital would bring in services never before seen of performed in the country.

“The role of the new Pacific International Hospital comes in, where the mandate for this private public partnership with IPBC was for PIH to bring services which are currently not available in Papua New Guinea,” Dr Sultan said.

“It will address the burden those people have to do fundraising or get big loans overseas and spend money not on just the health bills, but on their airfares- the stays, and guardians.”

“Unfortunately in some instances by the time when people raise funds it is already too late- so this is way where we are bringing in services that will save a lot of lives at a cost below what is required to go overseas.”

What can be described as a super hospital in medical standards in the country will bring in the country’s first cardiac laboratory or catheterization laboratory (cath lab)- it is an examination room in a hospital or clinic with diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualize the arteries of the heart and the chambers of the heart and treat any stenosis or abnormality found.

“We will be able to diagnostic angiograms (heart examination) to detect blockages in heart vessels, and not only to detect the blockage we will be able to open the blockage by inserting a little tube through the arm vein along a wire reaching all the way to the heart opening up the blockades and leaving a little stent (device) in there to relieve the blockage so that blood flow is resumed to the heart,” Dr Sultan explained.

“Along with that we will now have an open heart surgery program that will be running in the country throughout the year, treating valve problems, or blockages in their blood vessels.”

She revealed that the hospital will boast a full time resident cardiac surgery team in a very modern cardiac surgery theatre, which will be able to offer the services to the country throughout the year.

“We have other minimal invasive surgeries called, Laparoscopic, or what is called keyhole surgery, including keyhole cataract surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) sinus surgery,” Sultan a

“We wont have to open up the belly to remove somebody’s gall bladder or the appendix or women requiring a gynecological diagnosis or even removal of uterus can now be done through endoscopic (looking inside the body through cameras) means.”

“We are very excited- the team at PIH and our medical fraternity in PNG as a whole is very excited that we will now be able to offer come January 2015.”

She said that the cost will be unavoidable considering the huge investment taken to set up the services, but reiterated that it will be more affordable than going overseas.

“Through this investment we will ensure that the quality is not compromised whether through the personnel operating these services or the equipment installed.”

She also announced the complete set up of the country’s first MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) Scan- is a type of scan that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body.

“This will also allow us to introduce Neurosurgery in the country- this where we hope, along with the public hospitals, we will be able to complement the services that become available to people who need them with a cost.”

“Even in the public hospital in terms of specialist services there is a cost involved- but they have government subsidies where their cost are lower where as we at this point do not have a government subsidy, which we hope that the government will consider rolling out in this public private partnership initiative,” she concluded.