Kalo and Glare Back as SP PNG Hunters Look to End Losing Streak

 A fiery dispute between two of Papua New Guinea’s most prominent medical professionals unfolded in a press briefing yesterday, reigniting debate over a rejected K100 million grant from Japan intended to expand the maternity ward at Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH).

The disagreement, now playing out in full public view, centres on a grant offered in 2022 through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The funds, earmarked to improve maternal care services at PMGH, were declined — a decision now facing mounting scrutiny as images of overcrowded and unsanitary maternity conditions circulate online.

Dr Mola

Leading obstetrician Dr Glen Mola, who took to Facebook earlier this week to reveal the “degrading and humiliating” state of the hospital’s maternity ward, argued that the grant would have significantly improved care for the 7,000 women giving birth there annually.

“The offer was real, detailed, and directed through the proper diplomatic channels,” Dr Mola said. “This was not a vague promise. It was an actionable plan to build a new perinatal centre and refurbish the labour ward. Turning it down was a mistake.”

Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Paki Molumi, who stood beside Mola at the media conference, defended the hospital’s decision to decline the funds at the time. According to Molumi, the proposed infrastructure was designed for a level-four facility, whereas PMGH is transitioning to become a level-six national referral hospital.

“We didn’t reject the grant out of arrogance,” said Dr Molumi. “We believed Gerehu Hospital, still classified as a level-four facility, was a more appropriate site under the scope of the Japanese offer. The proposal simply didn’t align with PMGH’s current trajectory.”

But Mola flatly rejected the rationale. “The Japanese government made this offer specifically for PMGH. It wasn’t meant to be shuffled off to another institution—certainly not to Gerehu, which lacks maternal and newborn care capacity,” he argued.

The disagreement deepened with clashing views on the nature of pregnancy and maternal healthcare. Dr Molumi described pregnancy as “a normal physiological process,” arguing that new initiatives like the Metoreia Clinic are helping manage population health.

Mola, however, underscored the dangers. “Pregnancy goes wrong more than any other natural process. Over 25 per cent of women suffer complications, and the period after birth is the most dangerous time for maternal death. This is not something we can afford to downplay.”

The two also offered conflicting statements on the grant’s current availability. Molumi said the funding remains accessible, pending an updated proposal that fits PMGH’s level-six model. Mola disagreed: “That offer is no longer on the table. If we want to salvage this, we need to formally apologise to Japan and ask them to revisit the original plan.”

Dr Mola also proposed a short-term solution: convert the hospital’s reception area into an admissions ward and renovate the existing maternity wing to relieve overcrowding while long-term plans are reconsidered.

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Kalo and Glare Back as SP PNG Hunters Look to End Losing Streak