Goroka uni gives Medical Society K10, 000 to host symposium

THE University of Goroka has given K10,000 to support the Medical Society of Papua New Guinea host its annual medical symposium in September.
Society president Dr Nakapi Tefurani said the symposium would look at ways of increasing the numbers of health workers.
Established in 1964, the society has around 1000 members. It plays an advisory role to the Ministry of Health. It is funded through membership fees and by donors.
Tafurani who is also the executive dean of the UPNG School of Medicine and Health Sciences said there was a need for more doctors and health professionals in the country.
“We would like to talk about it in the symposium and come out with a plan on how we want the medical training in this country to look like,” he said.
“Health education means involving all of us. The symposium gives an opportunity to all institutions to have a say.”
He said it was important to come out with a policy recommendation to the Government on how the future of medical training should be.
Vice-Chancellor of the Goroka university Professor Musawe Sinebare said they had looked at the possibility of establishing a medical school to increase the number of medical professionals and improve the country’s health status.
He said if UPNG alone was to continue producing medical professionals, the whole PNG would not be adequately served.
“Many of our people do not have access to a doctor or a health professional and that was our motivation that drove us to pursue medical education and we are serious about it,” he said.