Malabag promises K10m

Reports by Gynnie Kero
HEALTH and HIV/AIDS Minister Michael Malabag has committed K10 million towards the Hela  health authority (HPHA) board during its launch in Tari on Wednesday.
Hundreds, including dignitaries from the private sector, the Hela administration, including  Governor and Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape, Finance Minister and Tari-Pori MP James Marape, Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP Philip Undiali and Health Secretary Pascoe Kase; Personnel Management Secretary John Kali and Oil Search managing director Peter Botten witnessed the occasion.
Speaking before the swearing in of the inaugural Hela PHA board, Malabag said the launching of  PHA would “remove barriers and install an effective health system for the people of Hela”.
“The challenge is now on the Hela health authority board, the management and staff, my department, the Hela administration and our stakeholders to make this health reform initiative work,” Malabag said.
Potape thanked the Government saying: “Now is the time to build Hela province.”
The implementation of the HPHA is a major health sector reform initiative and means that all health in the province is to be delivered through one system with under the control of the board.
Botten said while the board’s responsibilities were wider than when there was only a hospital board, there would continue to be a strong focus on ensuring effective hospital services while at the same time strengthening the capacity of rural health services.
Botten said one of the first priorities of the board would be to understand the challenges facing rural health, the funding available to address the challenges and then determine what needed to be done first to ensure as many people as possible could access quality health services.
“Having a PHA means you can form a partnership, a true partnership between the national government, the provincial government, various community groups, churches and private sector to bring a world class health facility and services to Hela,” he said.
The board held its first meeting soon after the launch and appointed Dr Issac Ake as acting chief executive officer of the Hela Provincial Hospital.