Australian High Commission
Papua New Guinea

PNG-Australia Partnership-funded expansion to Kudjip Hospital set to benefit more than 70,000 people

The people of Jiwaka and neighbouring provinces will have improved access to vital health care services following the opening of the expanded Kudjip Hospital.

The PGK10million expansion project within the ongoing master plan of improvements at the hospital was funded by the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership, through the Incentive Fund, and includes PGK2million in counterpart funding. It has expanded the hospital emergency room, surgical outpatient area and operating theatres, as well as constructed a new obstetric ward and nursery, pharmacy, laboratory and dental clinic. A new purpose-built training and administration building will support the training of doctors and nurses.

At the opening ceremony for the expanded hospital, Australian High Commissioner, Bruce Davis, commended the Nazarene Health Ministries for its dedicated leadership and continued commitment to health care, with many senior staff volunteering their time over many years to improve health conditions in PNG.

Mr Davis said, “This project will benefit thousands of people each year, especially women and children. It also shows the priority of both governments to strengthen Papua New Guinea’s health sector and support improved access and quality in hospitals across the country.”

This is the third Incentive Fund grant to Kudjip Hospital, totalling almost PGK 23 million since 2006. This ongoing support has enabled the hospital to gain Provincial Hospital status and has supported surgical wards, obstetrics and outpatients wards, staff houses, sewerage and a hydroelectric system which services the hospital, nursing college, primary school and Kudjip station, which are all run by Nazarene Health Ministries.

This project, along with previous support to Nazarene Health Ministries, is just one of many examples of the PNG-Australia Partnership’s ongoing dedication to improving access and quality of health care in Papua New Guinea.