Govt pledges K4m to Youth With A Mission

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

THE Government will provide a K4 million grant to Youth With A Mission’s medical ship programme.

Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is a non-profit organisation that brings overseas volunteer health professionals to PNG to provide medical services in remote communities.

The volunteers help train PNG medical officers.

The K4 million will help to buy a replacement medical ship because the current one is old and set for retirement in 2015.

The total cost of the ship was around K20 million. 

YWAM and its donors will meet the remainder of costs.

The medical ship would operate around the southern region and be mainly staffed by international and PNG doctors who were volunteers.

The K4 million cheque will be passed on to YWAM patron, Sir Rabbie Namaliu this week.

The Government decided to assist them continue with their volunteer work as partners in development. They bring much-needed medical services to remote communities such as those in Western.

National Planning Minister Charles Abel said the initiative was part of a strategy to improve implementation and procurement through innovative ways of delivering services.

“We are proud to support their continuing operation. 

“We are using K4 million from the social development programme of the churches from past allocation,” Abel said.