MEDIA RELEASE
25 August 2008
For immediate release
CREATING A HEALTHIER PNG
This week is Health Week in PNG, a great initiative which provides an important opportunity to focus attention on PNG’s health sector and the challenges faced by all Papua New Guineans. We are committed to working together so that it is a success.
It will come as no surprise that PNG faces some serious health challenges.
Issues such as infant mortality, HIV and AIDS, life expectancy, drug distribution and access to health services are just some of the areas where PNG faces significant development challenges.
There are some sobering statistics, for example maternal mortality has almost doubled in PNG over the last decade from 370 to 733 per 100,000 live births.
PNG must have a health system that is responsive, effective, affordable and accessible to everyone in the country. There is no quick fix here, strengthening the health system will require a long-term focus.
But working together with partners like Australia and all partners in the health sector, PNG is in a good position to address many of these challenges.
Australia supports the PNG health sector with over K140 million annually and when combined with the PNG Government’s health budget we are looking at a substantial commitment. However, the challenge is ensuring that the money available is spent where it will have the greatest impact.
In the short term there are some critical issues for improving service delivery. Many health centres frequently experience shortages of medical supplies and face management and mentoring challenges and other factors which undermine health service delivery. We are committed to working together to address these impediments.
We recognise in particular the need to reform the medical supply system and ensure that health systems are managed effectively ensuring that health workers in our aid posts and health centres can count on having access to the supplies needed to do their jobs. This is a key area of focus for the National Department of Health and development partners at present.
We recognise the need to identify better approaches to support service delivery, including making funds accessible at the health centre and district level and backing this up with better management practices.
With all government, non-government and development partners working together, these challenges can be overcome. The recent establishment of the Health Sector Steering Committee bringing key stakeholders together to reinvigorate efforts to improve health service delivery is an important step, reflecting a renewed commitment to improve health services for all Papua New Guineans.
Health Week calls upon all health workers, individuals and communities to work together to create a healthy Papua New Guinea. Health workers are called upon to listen and be ready to help when people are in need and make all facilities available to all who need help.
The Health Week initiative is a first for Papua New Guinea – the National Department of Health and AusAID are committed to making it a success this year and to ensure that it has an impact in the years to come.
So while the challenges are great, with commitment and joint efforts, Papua New Guinean people can be better served by their health system and enjoy healthier lives and communities.
We look forward to a healthier, democratic, independent and prosperous Papua New Guinea.
Secretary of the PNG National Department of Health, Dr Clement Malau
Head of AusAID in PNG, Margaret Thomas