Kokoda Hospital in Oro (Northern) Province will provide better services to 25 thousand people in the Kokoda region following a 1.1 million Kina refurbishment of its facilities.
The project, co-funded by the Australian Government and the Oro Provincial Government under the Papua New Guinea ̵ Australia Partnership and Kokoda Initiative, was officially opened on the 80th Anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign in November 2022.
The refurbishments will promote high quality and equitable health care for communities in the northern regions of the Kokoda Track with improved access for persons with disabilities, extensive repairs to maternity and paediatric wards, antenatal clinics and the hospital ablutions and the provision of vaccine fridges.
Australian High Commissioner Jon Philp attended the opening of the refurbished hospital alongside Oro Governor, the Hon Gary Juffa, local member Hon Henry Amuli MP, and Governor for Central Province, Hon Rufina Peter MP, and Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon Isi Leonard MP.
This project is one of many initiatives of the partnership between the governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea to improve health services and outcomes in the PNG. Australia supports a broad portfolio of health initiatives covering communicable diseases, maternal and child health, health systems strengthening, the COVID-19 response and health infrastructure.
Mr Juffa said “Oro Provincial Government is happy to co-finance the project and improve access to vaccinations, maternal and child health clinics and in-patient services for expectant mothers and children”.
Australian High Commissioner said, “together, PNG and Australia are working to achieve goals set out in PNG’s new National Health Plan, and to realise the PNG Government’s ambitions for the health sector: access to quality health facilities close to where people live, in rural and urban areas across PNG.”
Officer-in-charge of the Kokoda Hospital, Ms Florence Tumbari said, “surveys with families in Kokoda communities showed health services and indicators from the Kokoda Track region are significantly better than most remote and rural areas in PNG with the indicators significantly higher than provincial and national averages.”
This success is the result of years of concerted effort to improve health outcomes. Between 2017 and 2021, antenatal coverage has risen from 50 to 90 percent, routine children’s vaccination has improved from 50 to 80 percent, community birth supervision and access to family planning which has lowered the rates of maternal mortality in the region.
Through this partnership, improved health facilities, accommodation and services have been received by Kokoda communities.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100
(Right to left) Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon Isi Leonard MP, Oro Governor, Hon Gary Juffa, Australian High Commissioner H.E Jon Philp, Central Governor, Hon Rufina Peter, Sohe MP, Hon Henry Amuli and other dignitaries at the opening of the refurbished hospital.