Govt alone cannot address all health issues: Official

National

The health sector must continue to maintain dialogue with its partners to enable effective, affordable and sustainable levels of service to the people, says an official.
Nonga general hospital chief executive officer Dr Ako Yap highlighted this at the 14th National Nurses Research Symposium currently underway in Kokopo.
“Over the years, our health issues are far reaching and very complex, that our various levels of government alone cannot address,” Yap said.
“We have relied on our various partners, and will continue to rely on them to deliver the level of health services our people need.”
Yap said a concerted effort was needed to empower, acknowledge and have continuous dialogue with traditional partners and engage new partners in order to deliver health services.
He thanked traditional partners such as the churches for being the backbone of rural health services by running almost 80 per cent of health facilities nationwide.
“The Health Department has finally recognised your contributions, and is now paying your staff directly through the government payroll and giving grants through the church health services,” Yap said.
He also commended various non-government organisations, businesshouses, individuals, national government and the Health department.
Yap urged the symposium to widen its definition and appreciation of the public-private partnership concept to include public partners.
He also took the time to welcome a small group of nurses from Hela and Southern Highlands.
Yap said  the group had made an effort to attend the symposium despite all the post-election problems in their provinces.