Health authority plans to provide quality service

 By ELIAS LARI

THE Provincial Health Authority in Western Highlands (WHPHA) aims to provide quality health services to the people.

Board of governors chairman David Guinn said during the hospital annual general meeting last Wednesday in Mt Hagen that doctors, nurses, community health workers, health extension officers and administration staff were working very hard to make it happen.

Western Highlands, Milne Bay and Eastern Highlands are the three provinces trying out the provincial health authority concept which was created in March 2011.

Guinn said the WHPHA under chief executive officer Dr James Kintwa had been performing very well.

“We are indeed most fortunate to have with us Dr Kintwa who has been a champion of this major health reform for more than 10 years,” Guinn said.

He said Kintwa and his executive team had been tasked by the board to coordinate all the services which form the health system for Western Highlands and Jiwaka provinces.

The Western Highlands health authority will continue to help Jiwaka’s electorates – Anglimp/South Waghi, Jimi and North Waghi, until Jiwaka can establish its infrastructure and the administration.

The authority had made a health service agreement with AusAID to provide additional financial support to upgrade rural health facilities.

He said the AusAID infrastructure funding was supported by Governor Paias Wingti, Jiwaka Governor Dr William Tongamp and MPs Wesley Nukundi (Dei), Koi Trape (Mul-Baiyer), Benjamin Poponawa (Tambul-Nebilyer) and Komun Joe Koim (Anglimp-South Waghi).

“These leaders have made available funds through the two provincial governments and the DSIP funds.”

The Asian Development Bank’s rural primary health services delivery project will provide Tambul-Nebliyer and Mul-Baiyer with four new community health posts and renovate existing facilities including staff houses.

He said it would also provide training for rural-based staff and address the poor state of maternal and child health.