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Chinese community comes to the aid of Kiunga Hospital

The Chinese business community in Kiunga, Western Province, has come to the assistance of the Kiunga Hospital with funds to purchase a portable x-ray machine.
The hospital received K125,500 from New Century Investment Limited, Niugini Pride Supermarket, Rainfox Trading, ZC Trading, Young Sing Trading and Unique Hardware, which amounts to the cost of a portable x-ray machine. 
The hospital has only one x-ray machine that is stationed in the radiology department, thus making it difficult to move patients needing x-ray services from the wards to the x-ray room. The portable x-ray machine will greatly assist as it can be taken to the patient’s bedside to carry out x-ray screening and make vital assessments quickly.
While presenting the cheque to the hospital, the Managing Director of New Century Investment Limited, Allan Lin expressed that the Chinese community has a strong connection with the people of Kiunga and Western Province as a whole.
“We have the heart for the people here and this donation is of life saving importance and the hospital greatly needs it and when they asked we did not hesitate to help out,” Mr. Lin said.
He added that the Chinese are not only in Kiunga to do business, but to help where help is needed and to be part of the community.
“Money should not separate us, we are not here to make money only but live and work together with you. You are my brothers and sisters and I am your brother and sister and we hope to continue to work together with you,” Lin added.
The Ok Tedi Development Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Ian Middleton, challenged the District and Provincial Governments to start taking ownership of the hospital and health services in the province.
“The District and Province must understand the importance of Kiunga Hospital to the Province, let’s take this generous donation as a starting point for a new beginning in cooperation and support” Mr. Middleton said.
He said it was the first time he has witnessed a big contribution like this from the Chinese community.
“This K125,500 is a significant contribution, we have to thank the Chinese community because they can assist us where others cannot. I want us to stop discrimination of Asians doing business in Kiunga as we witness firsthand how these Chinese business houses have helped us,” Middleton explained.
Mr. Middleton acknowledged the good work that the doctors and nurses do as well as the Kiunga Hospital Administrator, Graeme Hill. “Graeme has gone out of his way to get the funding needed to change and upgrade this hospital and I thank him for his initiative,” Middleton said.
Mr. Hill was grateful to Allan Lin and his associates for their assistance expressing that the portable x-ray machine will go a long way.
“I am very thankful to Allan and his group. We have asked so many organisations for assistance and you have come to our aid. We have already placed an order for the machine and it should be here in two months’ time,” he explained.
Kiunga Hospital’s Emergency Physician, Julius Plinduo, expressed the need for the hospital to be upgraded and called on the government to take ownership of the hospital.
“This hospital has been built to serve in the 1980s, and it needs to be upgraded. At the moment it is surviving and we all need to step up and the district and provincial government must take ownership of this hospital so better services can be delivered to our people,” Dr. Plinduo said.
He also thanked the Chinese community saying, “The K125,000 will go a very long way to assist us do our job and also assist our patients.” 
Kiunga Hospital is supported through the North Fly Health Services Development Program, a public private partnership between local health services, Ok Tedi Mining Ltd and Abt JTA as the implementation partner.

Photo caption: 
X-ray
-          (From Right) Dr Asael Kaptigau, Dr Waikesa Kalala, Dr Julius Plinduo, Mr Allan Lin and two Chinese community members, OTDF CEO Ian Middleton (back), Hospital Administrator Graeme Hill and X-ray technician Foxie Kekela, in front of the cheque that was presented for the new portable x-ray machine.



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