The new Australian High Commissioner, Jon Philp, visited the ANGAU hospital redevelopment this week to open a new tuberculosis ward. The new ward will provide 26 beds to treat tuberculosis cases in a modern facility, leading to improved patient outcomes.
High Commissioner Philp was joined by the Hon Jelta Wong, Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS, the Hon Ginson Saonu, Governor of Morobe, the Hon John Rosso, Member for Lae and the Hon Kennedy Wenge, Member for Nawae at the opening ceremony.
“ANGAU is creating the benchmark for large-scale, joint health infrastructure projects in Papua New Guinea”, said High Commissioner Philp.
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The in-patient wing inside the new TB ward.
“A healthy population is a productive population, and this will drive economic development and help build this great nation.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Wong said: “The ANGAU Hospital redevelopment is the largest infrastructure project that Australia and PNG have delivered in PNG since independence. It will provide state-of-art health facilities for the Momase region, and for the rest of PNG.”
When completed, the redevelopment will provide state-of-art health facilities to the Momase Region, including new wards and an acute services building with a modern intensive care unit, operating theatres and medical imaging facilities. The project also includes the upgrading of five rural health clinics in Bulolo, Wau, Etep, Mutzing and Braun.
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A section of the newly opened TB ward.
The redevelopment is just one part of Australia’s significant assistance to improving PNG’s health system, including a new package of support to all provinces to assist them to prevent and respond to COVID-19. The ANGAU hospital redevelopment will support stronger responses and prevention for the epidemic.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100