19 September 2013
Australia and PNG improving rural health care
Papua New Guinea and Australia are increasing access to health care in remote Madang Province with the official opening of new and refurbished rural health facilities in and around Josephstaal.
Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Ms Deborah Stokes, yesterday opened the Madang Province Catholic Health Services infrastructure upgrades in a ceremony in Josephstaal, Middle Ramu District.
The new facilities in Josephstaal and nine surrounding villages include staff houses and aid posts. A health centre, paediatric ward, general ward and administration office are among buildings upgraded or repaired.
The project was funded through the PNG-Australia Incentive Fund.
Josephstaal is among the remotest parts of Madang Province. It was inaccessible by air until the project reopened its airstrip. A road has been re-cleared but is only usable in very dry conditions.
Ms Stokes said thousands of people in Josephstaal now have better access to basic health care.
“Health needs in PNG are huge - infants have a one in 13 chance of not making it to their fifth birthday and the maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the Asia Pacific,” Ms Stokes said.
“The facilities will expand clinic services in critical areas such as maternal and child health.
“Women will have better access to supervised deliveries, antenatal and postnatal care and immunisations for children will expand. Better and safer staff accommodation will help to attract and retain health workers – particularly women.
“I would like to join the Catholic Health Services in acknowledging the enormous contribution by local communities to building these facilities.”
The Catholic Health Services planned and implemented the project under the leadership of Archbishop Stephen Reichert and with the assistance of communities in Josephstaal.
Cross Cutting Issues Coordinator and Madang CHS Health Program Manager Patrick Angrai said the communities cleared building sites, collected stones and sand and built shelters for and fed workers.
“It must be emphasised that the CHS project team did not pay any of the communities involved. Their help and assistance was done voluntarily and free of charge,” Mr Angrai said.
The Josephstaal facilities are the final phase of K7.9 million in health infrastructure by CHS in four Madang districts through the PNG-Australia Incentive Fund. The total new facilities across the districts include 25 staff houses and 11 aid posts.
Since 2000, Australia has built K350 million worth of health and education infrastructure in PNG through the Incentive Fund. The Incentive Fund supports well-managed organisations to access funding for innovative projects that have a strong development impact for the people of PNG.
This financial year Australia is providing about K230 million in assistance to strengthen PNG’s health system. Australia’s assistance focuses on increasing the availability of essential medicines and supplies, improving the number and quality of health workers, expanding essential health service delivery and improving the quality of health infrastructure.