Governor queries board’s status

I AM responding to concerns raised by Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority (EHPHA) board chairman Mal Smith Kela about the purported efforts by myself to destroy the health system of the province and issues relating to Covid-19 contingency funding (K927,000) by the provincial government.
I want to clarify that the media release by the chairman has got nothing to do with the Covid-19.
My concern was about the legitimacy of the current EHPHA board.
I will highlight below the proper process of appointing a legitimate provincial health authority board.
Pursuant to the Provincial Health Authority Act 2007, in particular Section 17, the health minister will consult with the governor of a province regarding nominees of the hospital board.
After the consultation, the health minister takes the final nominees list by way of submission to the National Executive Council (NEC) for endorsement.
The head of state upon advice of the NEC, appoints the provincial hospital board members.
Then a formal gazettal notice is issued for publication.
Only upon receipt of this formal gazettal notice by the governor from the health minister, a formal induction ceremony is conducted by the Health Department.
This process for appointing the board was not followed and as such their appointment is still illegal.
It is still in progress. My concern is that there should be a legitimate EHPHA board in place to fully serve its defined purposes, because there are a lot of run-down hospitals in the rural areas.
Health services have not reached most of the rural population.
The Henganofi rural hospital is an example of run-down health facility with no drugs, no proper patient accommodation and poor water and sanitation.
Mal Smith Kela has a conflict of interest in running the affairs of the hospital, because he has political and business motives.
The EHP administrator represents my government on the EHPHA board.
But in every meeting conducted by the board (illegitimate), the administrator has never been invited.
As a governor, my primary role is to serve my people.
I have every right to speak on behalf of my people as their duly elected governor.
When the health of my people is concerned, I will seriously take every measures to voice my peoples concern to the proper authority.
I know my boundaries and responsibilities as a learned person.
The concern I raised with the health minister was about the issue of legitimacy of the board and whether he was aware of this induction.
The stopping of the induction was done administratively and not by the EHP government.
The chairman’s assumption that I interfered with the affairs of the hospital is unsubstantiated and political in nature.
The health of the people of Eastern Highlands should not be compromised for political point scoring.
If the chairman is legitimately holding the office and concerned about the health of my people from all corner of EHP, then I will give my undivided support.

Peter Numu,
EHP Governor