PNG’s Oro Province Targets Top-Tier Health Ranking After Major Overhaul
Papua New Guinea’s Northern Province has taken a decisive step in rebuilding its healthcare system, unveiling a suite of long-term plans and upgraded facilities aimed at lifting service standards. Provincial leaders say the reforms will help push Oro from the bottom of national health rankings into the top tier.
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| PNG’s Oro Province Targets Top-Tier Health Ranking After Major Overhaul |
The milestone event took place at the Popondetta Provincial Specialist Hospital on Wednesday, where national, provincial and sector officials gathered to officially launch three key health strategies and open newly improved medical facilities.
Northern Governor Gary Juffa, joined by Health Minister Elias Kapavore and the senior leadership of the Northern Provincial Health Authority (NPHA), described the developments as a turning point for a system that had struggled for years. The three documents launched include the NPHA Corporate Plan 2025–2028, the Popondetta Hospital Clinical Services Plan 2025–2035, and the NPHA Health Services Plan 2025–2030.
The Minister and Governor also opened the refurbished Accident and Emergency Department, upgraded Adult Outpatient Department, Family Support Centre and a new incinerator, with Mr Juffa saying the projects have finally brought key facilities—including the operating theatre—up to required standards.
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| Hospital setup (photo supplied) |
In a wide-ranging address, Governor Juffa spoke on governance, discipline and accountability across the health sector, praising Minister Kapavore as the “perfect person for this job” and commending the NPHA board and management for restoring credibility. He said the authority’s improvement in national ranking reflected a deliberate shift to merit-based recruitment.
“If you take this approach where we have merit-based appointments… we felt that we would eventually bring the PHA to a better place,” he said. “I want to thank Bougainville leaders and people – fear not, whatever happens. To the rest of the country, let us embrace this process as it is a must-do process that cannot be avoided.”
Governor Juffa also condemned attacks on health workers, warning that logistics companies failing to deliver medical supplies on time would lose their contracts. He urged staff to practise healthy habits, noting his own decision in 2012 to give up smoking, alcohol and betel nut. “You have to look healthy, you have to talk healthy… and then our people will see you and they’ll follow that example,” he said.
Minister Kapavore reaffirmed the national government’s support, pointing to the rise in NPHA staffing from 600 to 1,073 and the province’s jump from second-last to ninth nationally. The Minister added: “Together, we can achieve our goal of universal health coverage by 2030, leaving no one behind.”
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