3 March 2011

For immediate release

K10 million for Alotau Hospital

The Australian Government is funding a K10 million upgrade of the Alotau Hospital that will increase the number of hospital beds by 54 and upgrade critical infrastructure at the hospital.

This funding comprises additional beds for the maternity ward to cater for an increase in supervised births, a new 36 bed medical ward, and an 8 bed accident and emergency facility combined with a radiology building.

Head of AusAID in Papua New Guinea, Stephanie Copus-Campbell said the funding was a significant investment in the health of Milne Bay Province.

“The Alotau General Hospital is officially a 150-bed hospital, so adding another 54 beds will make a major difference to the hospital’s ability to provide adequate care for the people of the Province,” Ms Copus-Campbell said

“A woman in PNG is 80 times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than a woman in Australia. These new beds in the maternity ward will eventually see thousands of women giving birth in a safe, supervised environment,” Ms Copus-Campbell said.

The Australian funding will enable the construction of a new administration building to accommodate the newly established Provincial Health Authority (PHA) and the hospital’s management team.

“This means Alotau Hospital will be one of the first hospitals in the country to co-locate hospital management with the PHA. The Board of the hospital will combine members of both the hospital management and the PHA, so there will be one decision making body looking at all the health issues in the Province."

“This is an example of a very good PNG-led health reform that is strongly supported by Australia, and reflects PNG’s commitment to health as a priority under its Medium-Term Development Plan,” Ms Copus-Campbell said.

Dr Thomas Webster, Chairman of the Incentive Fund Management Group noted at today’s signing that other infrastructure provided by the Incentive Fund includes the construction of eight 2 bedroom nurses’ accommodation, renovation of the pathology laboratories and the upgrade of the existing consultation clinics. The funding will also cover the purchase and installation of medical equipment to ensure all facilities are fully operational.

This is the second round of Australian funding for the Hospital, the first being in 2003 for K9.7 million. In 2010-11, Australian support to PNG’s health sector will be approximately K110 million in addition to support provided to health services by the Incentive Fund.