KEITH JACKSON
IT'S rather sad to see how often medical drugs crop up as a source of scandal and conflict in Papua New Guinea.
In recent times there has been the controversy surrounding the appointment of a manufacturer who PNG’s doctors, and others qualified to pass judgement, alleged was unable to meet global quality assurance standards.
The tender process for that decision also seemed unable to pass muster, despite being vigoously defended by Health Minister Malabag.
The PNG government professed to be unconcerned about either of these malfunctions in the system.
And while the Australian government said nothing, it did withdraw millions of dollars it had on offer for purchasing drugs.
Which wasn’t real much of a solution when you consider it for more than a few seconds.
The import of many drugs of inferior quality and of others that do not contain the ingredients claimed are long-standing problems.
And now reader Kevin O’Regan, who lives in Lae, has unearthed a huge consignment of much-needed pharmaceuticals rotting in the open at an industrial estate.
The drugs are a gift to PNG from the IDA Foundation - the world's leading not-for-profit supplier of essential, quality-assured medicines and medical supplies.
Headquartered in Amsterdam, IDA has a mission to "improve access and deliver high quality essential medicines and medical supplies at the lowest possible price to low and medium income countries".
Kevin O'Regan, who provided the photographs that accompany this story, said: "These are some of the life-saving drugs supplied to PNG earlier in the year awaiting distribution to the rural aid posts and out stations.
“All marked to be stored in a ‘cool dry place’, they’ve found a home in the scorching sun one day and pouring rain the next.”
He said the batch pictured is stored at a business premises at the Malahang Industrial Estate just out of Lae.
“This consignment has been here five months and counting,” said Kevin.
“Can one assume other provinces have their life-saving medications similarly stored?”
I think the answer to that could well be ‘yes’, Kevin.
It's reminiscent of the education department in Port Moresby's reaction to our recent offer of free Crocodile Prize Anthologies to local high schools. A rather depressing 'don't care' and 'don't bother me' mentality.