The doctor in charge of the pathology section of a major hospital in Papua New Guinea's second biggest city says it's on the verge of collapse.
The Post Courier reports Dr Francis Bannick of Lae's Angau Memorial Hospital as saying urgent help is needed to save the lives of hundreds of patients still waiting for results from laboratory tests taken last September.
Dr Bannick says the hospital lacks the equipment to do its own testing and analyses of specimens and biopsies sent to Port Moresby General Hospital take months to return.
Dr Bannick says he's also responsible for providing pathological services for hospitals in the rest of the Momase region and the islands region.
But he says the lack of vital equipment means he's unable to serve the needs of the other hospitals let alone provide for Angau Memorial Hospital patients.
Dr Bannick says the equipment needed to run the pathology department will cost between 160 and 335 thousand US dollars and should be bought immediately.
He says a written request for help from the hospital's managment's received only an acknowledgment.
