PNG Health Sector update and A brief Plan for 2023

By PNG Health Minister Dr. Lino 
Health with its issues are insurmountable anywhere on planet earth. All nations have issues peculiar to them and their standards of living.
Health can also be seen as a general Economic Indicator. Papua New Guinea PNG on all fronts is struggling to reach its targets but we have a good health plan now and hopefully all stakeholders do their part so we reach our targets by 2030. All plans are only as good as the funding they require and off course implementation on the part of the department.
Since 2020, health has seen an increase in its budget by about 30%. Even then, it’s not the ideal level we envisage but in terms of appropriation per sector, we have gotten the biggest slice, thanks to PM Marape and treasurer Hon Ian Ling Stuckey. However, we will still face a shortfall of over K120 mil for medical supplies from outstanding arrears over the last few years. In order to address this issue, we WILL HAVE TO SOURCE THE CHEAPEST OPTIONS in our region without compromising QUALITY. The only way to do this will be to go into STATE TO STATE AGREEMENTS so we deal straight with the factories and get the lowest price possible at least for OUR BASIC DRUGS and SUPPLIES. This approach is supported by WHO and other development agencies. Our SMEs and businesses can supply the nonessential medical consumables. Our people must not suffer at the expense of profiteering enterprises. Health services must be affordable to everyone regardless, as envisaged by our Government.

We have addressed the rise of lifestyle diseases.  The 4 biggest killers are Cancer; Heart Diseases with Stroke and Kidney diseases. We now have a fully functional Intervention Cardiology Unit to address heart and other Ishaemic diseases like stroke etc. It is now doing very complex cases only done in highly specialized centers throughout the world. We will have to build new specialized theaters to complement this service.

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