INTERNATIONAL MEDIA FILMING PATIENTS VIOLATES RIGHTS, SAYS HEALTH MINISTER
PORT MORESBY – Health Minister Hon. Elias Kapavore has told Parliament that international media entering hospitals to photograph and record patients without consent is a violation of patients' rights and dignity.
The Minister made the statement while responding to questions from Saki Hacky Soloma regarding conditions at Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH).
Minister Kapavore referred to recent footage showing mothers lying in hospital corridors and stressed that images captured without patient consent breach privacy and confidentiality standards.
He said the government is not concealing the challenges faced by PMGH and is fully aware of the pressures on the country's largest referral hospital. These challenges include overcrowding, workforce shortages, and infrastructure constraints.
"The situation is known, and work is already underway to address these issues," Minister Kapavore told Parliament.
The Minister's remarks reinforce existing PMGH policies that prohibit unauthorised filming and photography of patients. Hospital management requires all media organisations to obtain formal approval before conducting any filming on hospital premises to ensure patient consent is obtained and confidentiality is maintained.
Minister Kapavore said the government remains committed to implementing long-term solutions to ease pressure on PMGH. These measures include strengthening and decentralising primary and secondary healthcare services through urban clinics and district health facilities.
He said improving healthcare access at community level will help reduce patient congestion at PMGH while creating better conditions for both patients and healthcare workers.
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