At the Mt Hagen Provincial Specialist Hospital, the Pharmacy Department is more than a dispensary; it is the lifeline of patient care, quietly supporting families and communities. Each day, a team of 12 professionals works behind counters and in storerooms to ensure vital medicines and hospital supplies reach patients.
Pharmacy Manager Mr. Paul Kawage said the department’s core duty is managing medical supplies and pharmaceutical services, from ordering and storage to dispensing.
“If we face a drug shortage, people will die; thus, consistent supplies of medication are very important,” he stressed.
WHPHA relies primarily on Area Medical Stores, the government’s sole distributor of medical consumables, but supply is often inconsistent, particularly for essential items. Even when orders are placed, only 20–40 per cent of the requested stock is delivered. To ensure uninterrupted flow of services, the Hospital turns to external procurement from private pharmaceutical suppliers to fill the gap to ensure there is continuous pharmaceutical services.
Each quarter, the hospital spends up to K200, 000 to ensure basic but life-saving medical drugs are available across all health facilities in the province.
“As long as the demand is there, we will continue our services to order so our people can survive,” Mr Kawage added.
Inside the pharmacy, every step is about protecting, saving and sustaining lives. To ensure no mistakes slip through, prescriptions undergo a strict three-stage process: first screened by one staff member, then filled (packed) by another, and finally explained (patient counselling) by the pharmacist before the medicine is handed over to the patients.
These responsibilities form the backbone of the hospital’s pharmaceutical services, ensuring that patients not only receive the right medicines but also understand how to use them safely.
Pharmacist Ms. Joyce Tore added, highlighting the department’s dual service to patients.
“For inpatients, all medical supplies and drugs are issued to Ward OICs through the Imprest System and patient drug charts, and nurses collect the required items to continue care. Whereas outpatients and discharged patients, those who are stable and directed to continue treatment from home, receive their medication directly from the pharmacy dispensary before leaving the hospital,” she explained.
The Hospital Pharmacy does not stop at serving patients within its inpatient and outpatient areas. It stretches into the wider Western Highlands, where district health facilities and rural clinics depend on its supply chain to remain functional.
Without this support, rural communities would face dangerous gaps in treatment for common illnesses and maternal health needs. In this way, the department becomes not only a hospital service but also a community lifeline, ensuring that rural clinics and district health posts remain stocked with essential medicines at all times.
In addition, the Mt Hagen Pharmacy Department operates seven days a week, while also handling night on-call duties, and at the same time serving an average of 250 outpatients daily.
As the central hub of the Highlands region, the Pharmacy Department continues to shoulder the weight of regional demand. Despite systemic shortfalls, its ability to maintain stock highlights both the fragility of supply chains and the hospital’s vital role in safeguarding public health.
Furthermore, the ongoing hospital census reveals that up to 35% of patients are coming from outside Western Highlands Province.
Nevertheless, despite these ongoing challenges, the Pharmacy Department remains steadfast in its commitment. Each prescription filled and each patient counselled demonstrates its vital role in sustaining life, and therefore this dedication is not just service; it is survival. In their own words: “We are here so that people can live”