PNG Hospital Fire Image Exposed as Fake, Health Authority Clarifies

Papua New Guinea's Enga health authorities have dismissed as false an image circulating on social media that allegedly showed buildings at the New Enga Provincial Hospital on fire, saying the picture was digitally created and did not reflect any real incident.

PNG Enga Provincial Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Vincent Pyakalyia confirmed on Tuesday morning that the image was generated using artificial intelligence and had no connection to the hospital or any event in Enga Province.

The misleading image caused concern among members of the public after it spread rapidly across social media platforms, prompting fears that critical health infrastructure in the province had been destroyed.

Dr Pyakalyia warned that the deliberate circulation of false images could cause unnecessary panic, particularly in communities that rely heavily on public hospitals for essential services.

He also urged the public to take responsibility when sharing information online, reminding users that unverified content can quickly mislead and distress families, patients and health workers across the country.

“The AI-generated image circulating on social media is not true. People with ulterior motives must stop this kind of irresponsible and careless conduct aimed at causing confusion and leaving the public with anxiety,” Dr Pyakalyia said.