The article hereunder is what separates real journalists from the cowboys. Kudos to Post Courier Dr Lina also approached me with her allegations but, her story was so fantastic and so full of holes that I decided against running it on PNG Echo in spite of pressure by Dr. Lina . However, the story was taken up by another self-styled journalist (and already alleged defamer) on social media with gusto in a series of articles. It is people like the aforementioned who are responsible for the recent spate of proposed legislation to curtail media freedom. Doctor’s claims false (Post Courier - 28 April) By Maureen Gerawa Serious allegations made by a doctor against senior Papua New Guinea doctors, Immigration officers and former head of PNG’s foreign employment program have been found to be false. The allegations have been emailed and posted on social media by the female doctor and her supporters. Since February this year, the Health Ministry has cleared the PNG doctors after enquiring into the allegations made by Dr Lina Saleh Al-Ghamdi, a former medical officer at the Pacific International Hospital. It is believed the allegations stemmed from Dr Al-Ghamdi’s anger towards the Labour Department and PIH over her registration with the PNG Medical Board and the Labour Department’s refusal to grant her a bridging work permit. Health Minister Michael Malabag had, after clearing the doctors concerned, warned Dr Lina Saleh Al-Ghamdi in a letter to stop spreading false and defamatory information about senior doctors, statutory bodies and government minister The Saudi Arabian doctor, who is now living in Australia, had worked with PIH from October 2009 to August 2010 and claimed that she was hired on a visitor’s visa which was illegal, but the PIH management said she was on a business visa. Dr Al-Ghamdi had also alleged that the PIH had been killing PNG Christian women, mostly of child-bearing age, for religious reasons; and that Dr Nadile, former head of PNG’s foreign employment program, had refused to grant her request for a bridging work permit due to pressure from the PIH founder and owner Mohammad Sultan and his wife Amnya, who is a doctor and chief executive officer of PIH. Dr Ghamdi had also claimed that Dr Sultan had been removed from a job in Gold Coast due to what she did in PNG, which has been refuted. Evidence shown to the Post-Courier states Dr Amyna Sultan was practicing legally in Australia where Dr John Kearney was her supervisor. She was registered with Queensland Medical Board from October 2010 to November 2011 with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPR) from November, 2011 to 2013. She resigned in February 2013 due to increased commitments in PNG such as commissioning of the new PIH facility at Three Mile. On the allegations on the killing of PNG women, gynaecologist and deputy chairman of PIH Dr Mathias Sapuri said: I refute her allegations of negligence, let alone pre-mediated killings of Christian women at PIH. Our mortality rate was just over 1 percent for patients admitted to the wards. There was no maternal morality. More male than female deaths were recorded,’’ he said. Dr Al-Ghamdi’s claim that a woman suffering from kidney disease and died due to negligence by PIH staff was also refuted in the PIH report by its long-time senior PNG medical officer, Dr Paul Mondia. The allegations have been taken up by the Health Ministry, which is satisfied with the response it received from the doctors concerned. These are baseless, useless and false allegations,’’ said Mr Malabag when this newspaper asked for his comments. Mr Malabag had also questioned Dr Al-Ghamdi’s motives behind her false accusations now when she could have reported those claims to police at the time of her employment with PIH or soon after she left.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 08:08:16 +0000
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