Centre to find temporary health workers

 THE shortage of health workers is a nationwide issue and the Southern Highlands department of health will not provide health workers to remote areas, provincial health adviser Michael Mombu says.

Mombu was responding to requests by Pimaga Rural Hospital chairman Dabura Kamuna to equip the new Hidinia Health Centre at Kutubu which was opened last Friday.

Mombu said Southern Highlands would implement the Provincial Health Authority in 2016 when they hoped to address staffing structures.

“We have staff shortage. Landowner companies such as KSPA must look at employing temporary health workers while waiting for the PHA in 2016,” he said.

The health centre was established jointly by the people, Oil Search Ltd and the Kutubu Special Purpose Authority.

Kamuna said the people needed health workers and medical equipment for the new health centre and urged the provincial health department to help.

Southern Highlands deputy administrator corporate services Ambe Keleli said the provincial government was going through a process of restoration and would do more to improve health facilities in the province under the five-year development plan. He said Kutubu was one of the places in Southern Highlands which lacked vital services such as health, education and other infrastructure.