Health plan targets still not achieved

Letters, Normal

Papua New Guinea is a resource-rich nation, yet more than 80% of the people are not getting basic services and goods.
Health is one of them and many of our people in the rural areas are suffering from health-related issues.
Another sad fact is many Papua New Guineans are dying from preventable diseases.
Communicable infections such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and diarrheeal diseases among others, account for almost 80% of mortality and morbidity in PNG.
Non-communicable diseases are also taking their toll on many people such as consumption of alcohol and smoking, which is the main cause of lung cancer.
Lifestyle diseases are on the rise and they have claimed many people in their prime and a high percentage are suffering from related complications.
The new national health plan is to make PNG a nation of healthy individuals, families and communities where self-reliance prepares all for the healthy island concept.
We are now in 2010 and it is very sad to still see reports of people dying from preventable diseases such as TB, pneumonia, etc.
This showed the Government and Health Department did not do enough to meet the targets of the previous national health plan by disseminating health education and promotion across to the people.
The recent outbreak of cholera in several parts of the country showed that the Government and Health Department have more to do than meet the eye.
There are many reasons behind the failure to achieve the health plan.
Maybe the geographical distribution of people across the nation, lack of available funds, lack of human resources, lack of support from Government agencies and non-governmental agencies and lack of co-corporation and involvement from the people.
All these may contribute to the unsuccessful or little achievement of the health plan.

 

Jack Wantum
Madang