Govt reveals big plans for Gerehu Hospital

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Gerehu Hospital may become part of Central to meet the Provincial Health Authority’s requirement, says Health and HIVAIDS Minister Sir Puka Temu.
He told The National that assessments were being made for Gerehu to be upgraded to a Level Five hospital so that it would become Central’s provincial hospital.
It is one of the provinces which needed to set up its provincial health authority.
“I’ve written letters to the governors of 10 provinces that are yet to have a PHA established. Central is one of the provinces still without a PHA. They do not have a provincial hospital,” Sir Puka said.
He said that although the Governor Robert Agarobe had recommended Kwikila, it did not meet the requirements for a provincial hospital. It is just a health centre which will be unable to accommodate doctors and specialists.
“I will be sitting with him (Agarobe) to advise that Kwikila is not a hospital. I need the hospital with experts to be part of the Provincial Health Authority,” he said.
“There will be a big vacuum if we get Kwikila and we do not have the funds to upgrade it to level five in the next 12 months.
“It’s impossible.
“I will be advising the governor and his team and I’ve had discussions with provincial administrator Gei Raga and also my secretary Pascoe Kase that it won’t be Kwikila.
“Let’s look at Gerehu Hospital because they have the doctors there and I will get funds to upgrade it to level five before we build a brand new one which will take three years.
“If their assessments say that they are unable to comply, then I may be looking at private health service providers including Pacific International Hospital.
“PIH have been providing services to the rural central province and would be considered but we will explore that after assessing Gerehu hospital.”