Media Release 10 August 2023
Accessibility a critical outcome for the ANGAU Hospital redevelopment
A fundamental element of health care delivery is accessibility. Whether impaired by an illness or injury or living with a disability, being able to access and navigate a health care facility is the first step to receiving good care.
For this reason, from the very start, the Australia-funded ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment incorporated universal accessibility guidelines into the design. This includes access for people who are physically immobile; colour contrast around doorways to provide contrast between frame/door/ceiling/wall; touchable signage for people who are visually impaired and a sound loop for people who are hearing-impaired; it has appropriate signage for people with vision impairment and low literacy; and has implemented a Wayfinding Plan to improve the navigation for patients especially with low mobility or literacy.
Former employees of over 20 years of the National Orthotics and Prosthetic Service centre at ANGAU, Martin Tiden and Eric Julai have witnessed an incredible evolution at the Hospital.
From the beginning, the redevelopment of the AMPH incorporated universal accessibility guidelines into the design. This includes access for people who are physically immobile; colour contrast around doorways to provide contrast between frame/door/ceiling/wall; touchable signage for people who are visually impaired and a sound loop for people who are hearing-impaired.
“The old ANGAU Hospital wards were built on short posts and the walkways had timber flooring which sometimes makes access for wheelchair users difficult. The new, redeveloped ANGAU Hospital facilities are now very user-friendly as the buildings are built on ground level and the walkways are cemented making it very easy for people using wheelchairs to move around and access the whole hospital area,” said Eric Julai.
There are seven new wheelchair-accessible bathroom facilities located across the hospital with great manoeuvrability space. In these bathrooms, the room dimension, toilet pan, tapware, and basin height were designed to Australian standard for greatest ease of use by people with accessibility issues.
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Caption: Eric Julai demonstrates the ease of access to the Family Support Centre with the wheelchair-friendly pathways.
“The toilet doorways are wide enough, and the space has reachable grab rails. Bathrooms are also very spacious with no tub on the floor area,” Martin Tiden said.
The ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment is an example of a successful partnership between the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Australian Government. The redevelopment is part of Australia’s commitment to support and strengthen healthcare in PNG.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100