"How do we align ourselves to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for achieving health for all by 2030, including universal health coverage?"
Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Health, Elias Kapavore, asked this during the 24th National Health Conference, as he outlined the progress and challenges in the nation’s health sector.
“We need to strengthen systems and governance, particularly within our provincial health authorities, ensuring that healthcare services are equitable, accessible, and sustainable. We need to renew our commitment,” said Hon. Kapavore.
One rural location in Papua New Guinea that has lacked health services is Goilala District, which is approximately 133.1 km from the capital city Port Moresby.
The district is located in the northern inland area of Central Province, bordering both Morobe and Oro Provinces, and covers the mountains and valleys of the Owen Stanley Ranges with steep slopes and poor weather conditions.
Goilala covers three Local Level Governments (LLGs) -- Guari Rural, Tapini Rural and Woitape Rural -- mostly reached by helicopters which makes the flight of the ill or injured and pregnant mothers in need of medical help difficult.
Addressing the severe healthcare challenges faced by the area, the Goilala District Development Authority on November 20th presented a cheque of K700,000 to Medopharm PNG Ltd for the procurement of much-needed medical supplies and equipment.
The funding is part of an ongoing effort to tackle the healthcare crisis in the district, where inadequate infrastructure, severe shortages of medical supplies, and lack of trained personnel have left rural populations vulnerable to a wide range of health issues.
Commenting on the cheque presentation, Hon. Casmiro Aia, the Member for Goilala, outlined the dire state of healthcare in district, emphasizing the urgent need for immediate action.
"The country is facing an unprecedented health crisis, with diseases ranging from simple curable conditions to more complex ones that require comprehensive relief packages,” he said.
"We have fallen infrastructure, a critical shortage of drugs, medical officers, and essential equipment. This is particularly evident in many rural areas, and Goilala finds itself in this dire situation."
The National Health Plan, according to Hon. Aia, has largely failed to address the needs of the rural population. While the plan was intended to improve healthcare access across the country, Aia noted that its benefits have been largely confined to urban centers.
"The National Health Plan appears to only reach urban towns and cities, leaving remote rural areas, like Goilala, largely underserved. If the plan is meant to include rural areas, its implementation has failed to deliver," he said.
The Catholic Church, foreign aid donors, and private organizations are providing healthcare in these underserved areas. In Goilala, the Catholic Health Agency is the primary provider of health services, running four health establishments in the district.
However, Aia pointed out that while the government allocates a K19,000 grant to the Catholic Health Agency to manage health services for both Kairuku and Goilala, this amount is far from adequate to meet the needs of the region.
"While we appreciate the support, K19,000 is not enough to cater for the healthcare needs of two districts, particularly one as remote and rugged as Goilala," he explained.
"Every time a health program is rolled out, the Catholic Health Agency submits requisitions for medical supplies to the Provincial Health Authority (PHA), but the process is slow and cumbersome. By the time approvals are granted, emergency cases may have already resulted in fatalities."
MP Aia elaborated on the inefficiency of the PHA in Goilala, where there is no operational agency to manage health services effectively.
"What is the purpose of the Provincial Health Authority if it is not addressing the health needs of districts like Goilala? In practice, the PHA's role is unclear, and there is a lack of coordination between the PHA, the National Department of Health (NDoH), and the Catholic Health Agency," he said.
The duplication of functions between these institutions, according to Aia, has contributed to the inefficiencies that have hindered the delivery of healthcare services to the people who need them most.
"These institutions are all tasked with providing healthcare to the same people, yet they fail to work together effectively. The result is confusion, delays, and an overall lack of service delivery," he said.
In response to these challenges, the Goilala District Development Authority (DDA) is taking a proactive stance to improve healthcare delivery.
"Goilala DDA is committed to working closely with the Catholic Health Agency to address these long-standing health issues. We are also stepping up by directly purchasing drugs for our health establishments, which are under the charge of the Catholic Diocese of Bereina," Aia announced.
While the DDA is prepared to allocate the necessary funds to procure medical supplies, Aia emphasized the importance of following all compliance and procurement processes.
"We can provide the funding, but we must ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met in the procurement process to ensure transparency and accountability."
During the cheque presentation, Philip Gugub, the Goilala District Development Authority (DDA) Procurement Officer, emphasised the struggles of accessing essential health services in the district.
He said: "Health is a key priority in Goilala, alongside other sectors like education and law and order. However, we face unique challenges due to our remote location, with health indicators lagging far behind other regions."
"Despite the intention behind the establishment of the CPHA, we often feel forgotten in Goilala. But in Goilala, 90% of our access is by air, which is not only expensive but also unreliable," the MP said.
“Patients struggle to return home after treatment, and in some tragic cases, families cannot afford to send deceased loved ones back to their villages,” he added, calling on the government to reassess the effectiveness of the CPHA.
"There is something wrong in the system. The government needs to sit down with the provincial health authorities to address the issues preventing health services from reaching the remotest parts of the country."
DDA Executive Officer Titus Girau echoed the sentiments, stressing the importance of the partnership with Medopharm PNG Ltd that he said could be “a turning point” for Goilala's healthcare system.
"This partnership will allow us to provide critical drugs to our clinics and offer much-needed relief to our mothers, children, and people in the rural areas. We are hoping that this collaboration will make a tangible difference in the lives of our people."
"The situation is dire. Without the intervention of the DDA, the health system would be in even worse shape. We need to see real changes from the CPHA and the national health authorities to make sure our people get the healthcare they deserve," he said.
Company Assures Service Delivery to DDA
Medopharm (PNG) Ltd CEO Robert Ting, in an exclusive interview with PNG Business News, thanked the Goilala DDA for having trust and partnering for better health service delivery to the District.
Medopharm (PNG) Ltd are importers and distributors of medicine supplies including medical equipment. The company is well established in PNG since year 2000, marking this year as its 24th in service.
“We have been supplying the country with our service, ever since our establishment. We import medicine from all over the world. Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia,” CEO Ting said.
The Company Pharmacist, George Toitopola, added: “I can assure you on behalf of MediPharm we will deliver, and our goal is to improve access to the availability of medicines at the health facilities in Goilala district.”
