PNG MEDICAL SCIENCE: HOW THE BROKE HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE FAILING PNG WOMEN

 

SAME STORY, DIFFERENT DAY

Amelia Wattz outside the Port Moresby General Hospital.

By PHOEBE GWANGILLO
 
THE sounds of love mingles the air and tickles the sadness out of the space.
Even the silence of hope is endearing and enduring.

Because here, in the cancer ward of the Port Moresby General Hospital, you need every ounce of strength, every pound of love, and everlasting sounds of hope to greet another day.

Tony persists on that sort of love that sparks the unexpected, unimaginable happiness, that can turn around a desperate situation And bring comfort to a loved one.

Tony is going where even hope doesn’t linger, where doctors step back, in the belief that whatever medical science cannot deliver, humanity can master and surpass.

Tony and his children cling to that kind of hope for his beautiful wife and their amazing mother Amelia Wattz.

She is in suffering a condition that is a nightmare that every Papua New Guinean family fears to hear or even consider – cancer.

For the past 38 days Amelia, a cervical cancer patient, has been left to survive on pain killers at the Port Moresby General Hospital.

This main referral hospital currently does not have the cancer facility to treat her stage 3 cervical cancer.

Her story is the same every year. Mothers come to the PMGH with the same story, but it seems the government of the day must be really really deaf.

Mothers have passed on, some have gone overseas for assistance, others, in the face of no medical assistance, opt for natural herbal medication.

Many mothers are simply sent home with no hope at all.

The new PMGH Cancer Unit is still under construction and is expected to be completed next year.

While the new unit will have everything to care for and deal with common cancer diseases that women like Amelia suffer, the wait will be too long. She needs immediate expert assistance overseas.

“The doctors here are giving her pain killers only,” husband Tony said.
“Amelia was admitted on  June, 26, 2022. She was here all July and now starting August 2022 without any cancer treatment done or medication.  She has been here for 38 days and counting. 

“It’s like leaving her to die there,” Tony adds.  As devastating as he sounds, he is doing all he can to see his wife to survive long enough with him and take the next step further.  

Amelia’s referral from Madang to Port Moresby in June raised the hopes of her husband and children but not anymore with the truth of the matter – there is no cancer treatment in the country.

Her family is devastated of the fact that their mother, an educator, who has been educating the human resources this developing country needs, could not receive that much needed service she when her turn came.  

“It is heartbreaking to see someone so full of Life, dedicating herself to build young Papua New Guineans to be DREAMERS suffer like this,” eldest son Jordan posted on a Facebook appeal for his dear mum.

Amelia has been lecturing for 3 years in the Business Studies and Informatics Department at the Divine Word University.

“She is currently an active staff member of Divine Word University and we came over for medical treatment during the semester break and only to be grounded here in the city,” Tony said.

Tony said the plan is to take Amelia overseas for treatment which should cost over K200,000.

“We fixed all our traveling documents and established contacts with St Luke's Medical Center in the Philippines but without the money, we cannot make this trip. 

“Total cost estimated is around PHP 2, 513690.00 (Philippine Peso) which equates to K166, 911.69 using today's exchange rate for medical treatment alone.  

"The additional airplane tickets for 2 guardians, an accompanying doctor and is around K40, 000 flying Air Niugini both ways. So the total travel and admission alone is estimated at K206, 911.69. Any associated hidden costs are not included. 

She holds double master’s degrees from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne Australia, Mastering in Business Administration (executive)/ master of   Entrepreneurship and innovative leaning towards the study of creating entrepreneurs and SME. 

The couple Amelia and Tony was described by former DWU students of Western Highlands as parents, mentors and sponsors.

To those wanting to help in medical assistance can deposit to the BSP account number  7018791926 or call Tony on  72767743 or email address is awattz2016@gmail.com