K500m hospital for PNG’s Central

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K500m hospital for PNG’s Central

PORT MORESBY: Central Health Authority board chairman Isikeli Taureka says the province has poor health performance compared with others with similar of smaller population.

Speaking at the ground-breaking of a K500 hospital in Bautama yesterday (Nov 29, 2021), Taureka said hospital project would pave the way for Central to better manage and operate services for the people.

“Central is the only province in Papua New Guinea (PNG) without a provincial hospital,” he added.

The news break was published by The National:

Central launches hospital

November 30, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By GYNNIE KERO
CENTRAL Health Authority board chairman Isikeli Taureka says the province has poor health performance compared with other provinces with similar or smaller population.
Speaking at the launching of a K500 million hospital at Bautama, outside Port Moresby yesterday, Taureka said the project paved the way for Central through its health authority to better manage and operate services for their people.
“Central is the only province in PNG without a provincial hospital,” he said.
“As we all know, Central people have been sharing the Port Moresby General and Gerehu hospitals with the rest of the NCD population for years as general outpatient and emergency cases.
“Sadly, many times, especially recently with the large number of Covid-19 cases, health officers have told Central people to go to their own hospital – knowing very well that there is none.
“I suppose you cannot blame them – they are simply overworked and are just trying to limit the patient inflow.
“When you drive past Port Moresby General Hospital, one sees tent shelters at nearby roadside.
“This is a sign that the families temporarily residing there are from outside Port Moresby and are relatives of people who have been admitted to the hospital.
“This sad situation will be at least partly addressed by us having our own Central Provincial Hospital near main roads leading to some of our larger population centres.
“Port Moresby’s population is ever growing and the time has now come for us to have our own hospital to provide health services for our people.
“We appeal to all potential stakeholders such as state-owed enterprises, private companies, NGOs (non-governmental organisations), churches and others to support the development of our hospital.
“We must remember that it is not just the building to the hospital that is important, it must be staffed equipped, maintained, resourced and have sufficient operating expenses every year.
“I will be approaching some of the international and agencies to investigate the possibility of them contributing to a funding plan to support the hospital’s operations.
“Central has five district health centres, many sub-health centres and aid posts, some of which were unfortunately closed to serve about 360,000 people.
“There is a health workforce of only 138 that serves this population, consisting of three doctors, 20 health extension officers, 30 nurses and 80 community health workers.
“Establishment of a new hospital will necessarily increase our health manpower as the facility will require more doctors and other health workers.”

PM: Next year’s budget places more emphasis on health sector

November 30, 2021The NationalMain Stories

PRIME Minister James Marape says the 2022 budget places more focus on the Health sector than at any time before.
He said this at Bautama in Central yesterday when launching the K500 million 300-bed Central Provincial Hospital.
Marape said the cost of roads, houses, electricity and other infrastructure in the new Central city at Bautama – adjoining the hospital – would reach K700 million.
“This is a timely moment, especially on the back of us going into Parliament tomorrow (today) to pass our 2022 budget – a budget that has greater focus on health,” he said.
“Health is receiving over K2.6 billion of the K22 billion budget.
“In fact, 11.2 per cent of the total allocation. This is possibly the first time in the last 46 years that we’ve been a nation, for health to receive the allocation – ahead of education and many other sectors.
“This is a case in point that we are serious about our people’s health issues.”
Marape said Central featured prominently in the 2022 budget allocation to the health sector and this would continue next year and onwards.
“Hopefully in 2025, we will be able to come here (Bautama) again on this ground when a brand-new 300-bed hospital is delivered not just for Central but for the country.”
Marape said one good thing about the Coronavirus (Covid-19) was that it showed that the health sector was “totally deficient” in attending to the pandemic and other diseases, including only 200 intensive care unit beds.
“The Covid-19 has pointed us to the fact that we do not have the health system and capacity to handle severe outbreaks of any disease,” he said.
“I want the Central Provincial Hospital to be delivered by 2025.”

Govt plans to build isolation centre for Covid-19 in Central

November 30, 2021The NationalNational

HEALTH Minister Jelta Wong says the Government plans to build an isolation facility in Central to cater for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
He said this in view of yet another development – a Covid-19 variant known as the Omicron in South Africa – which has now reached Australia.
Wong was speaking at the launching of the new Central Provincial Hospital at Bautama yesterday.
He urged the people to get vaccinated, adding: “We are just worried about the new strain (omicron), the fourth wave, because Christmas is coming up. People tend to forget the Covid-19 protocols.”
According to Central Governor Robert Agarobe, the hospital once completed would catalyst for change at Bautama.
Earlier this year, Agarobe told a forum in Port Moresby that the Central Government would be building its own city at a cost of about K2.5 billion.
“We have land to build the city,” Agarobe said. “We are slowly building our infrastructure.”
According to Agarobe, Bautama was traditionally owned by the Koiri and Tubusereia people.
“It is now state land.
“This (hospital) will be the catalyst for further development to happen.
“Central Government has allocated 50 hectares for this project.
“Project has been on hold for some time for various reasons.
“Health is the biggest issue in the province,” he said.
“We have also cleared 120 portions of land that are now ready for tender that we can start developing on the provincial plan that we have.”
Prime Minister James Marape said the hospital was part of the proposed Central city.

New Central hospital to relieve health caring work in NCD

November 30, 2021The NationalNational

NATIONAL Capital District Governor Powes Parkop says health facilities in the city will deal with fewer patients when the new Central Provincial Hospital opens in Bautama, outside Port Moresby, in 2025.
He said the hospital, which was launched yesterday and would be completed in three years, was an important project as it would relieve the strain on the city’s health system and contribute to better health care for the people.
“This will solve the issue of congestion of patients at the Port Moresby General Hospital and clinics in the city,” he said.
“The city has a population of over one million people.
“An actual census was not conducted for us to know the actual population.”
However, Parkop said if Digicel had 700,000 subscribers in NCD, then there were subscribers of b-mobile and there were others who did not subscribe to either of these networks, hence the population estimate.
“With no hospital in Central, around 500,000, some people from Gulf and other parts of PNG also come to Port Moresby for health care treatment,” he said. “The health facilities in the city do not have the capacity for a million people, but have been doing so for a long time.”
Parkop said NCD welcomed the project and looked forward to its completion.