Medical staff working at the National Referral Hospital are upset at the lack of commitment by hospital authorities to ensure the reopening of the two operating theatres that were closed since December 2015.
The Labour Division closed the theatres due to their poor condition.
The decision resulted in the scale down and suspension of surgical operations because only one of the three theatres is running.
Although the hospital management engaged a local contractor to renovate the two theatres, the work out-put failed to meet the required standard.
This resulted in the Labour Division keeping its hands on the two operating theatres until the work output meets the required standard of a hospital operating theatre.
Medical staff spoken to said it was upsetting to see the hospital management taking the matter lightly.
“Look, there are patients waiting of life-saving surgery because of the closure of the two theatres,” one source spoken to said.
“Yet, authorities did not take it seriously to ensure the level of work done to the theatres are up to standard,” the source added.
Another staff spoken to said the functioning theatre was always occupied with emergency cases, which made it hard for the medical team at the theatre to attend to other cases.
“This is very unfair for other patients who need important minor surgeries,” the staff said.
Important trainings for newly graduated medical staff at the operating theatres were also affected as there is no available theatre to conduct the trainings.
Since the closure of the two operating theatres, medical staff have been coming under intense pressure from patients who are desperate to have their surgeries done.
“From the manner in which the management and the ministry approach the operating theatres issue, we feel like they are putting us down when we are very determine to perform our task to serve our nation”.
By BIRIAU WILSON SAENI
