Dept rolls out plan to develop facilities

 By LEAH OMAE

THE Department of Health is rolling out an exercise to develop designs, standards and health facilities for different health service levels in PNG, a health official says.

Health facilities and standards branch manager, Ambrose Kwaramb said this would greatly assist in improving deteriorating rural and urban health infrastructures.

“We have seven health service levels and these are aid posts, community health posts, health centers and urban clinics, district hospitals, provincial hospitals and the  referral hospitals.”

Kwaramb said with these standards in place, people would be able to build infrastructures complying with health standards required.

The department’s standard health division hosted a meeting with provincial hospital executives and various divisions to put together a full package building infrastructure design for specific functions including equipment.

The discussions included stakeholders such as Departments of Works, Rural Development, PNG Institute of Architects and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).     

The meeting was on translating designs, standards and facilities into implementable infrastructure and equipment standards for levels one to four of the health system.

Kwaramb said once the document was finalised, it would go through the health department’s executives then to the National Health Board and Cabinet for approval. 

It would be used as a building tool to guide politicians, NGOs, church health services, private health providers in constructing health building infrastructure including facilities and equipment.