CONSTRUCTION work on a double-storey building at the Kompiam Rural Hospital in Enga province is expected to be completed early next year.
Hospital medical Supt Dr David Mills said this during a visit by officials from PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) last month comprising board director Sir Ebia Olewale, manager for community and social investment programme (CSIP) Lawrence Stephensand and national programmes officer Jethro Apinas .
Situated to the north east of Wabag, Kompiam is in an area which borders East Sepik province, where road access in the area is limited and the people depend heavily on the Kompiam Rural Hospital for health services.
Last April, PNGSDP provided counterpart funding of K250,000 under its CSIP to assist with the completion of stage one of the hospital infrastructure development plan. There are five stages.
Once completed, the building would provide new adult medical and surgical ward spaces, new laboratories, administration offices and amenities for the community and its staff.
During the brief tour, the PNGSDP officials were impressed with the staff and services provided and other modern facilities such as the X-ray machine, operating theatre and laboratory.
Dr Mills expressed gratitude on behalf of the local community for the assistance provided by PNGSDP and appealed to the Government and donors to do the same.
“Government and development partners must invest more money into district health services.
“Many people especially in the Highlands can cannot access proper health facilities in towns because of tribal conflicts.
“In addition, developing urban hospitals will only attract more people to towns to seek medical attention, thus, draining resources of the town hospitals and create stress for the doctors,” Dr Mills said.
The hospital currently attends to common cases of malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and domestic violent injuries besides treating other sickness and health related problems.