Health plan underway

THE Health Department’s final regional consultative workshop will be held in Kimbe, West New Britain province, this week to gauge views from the New Guinea Islands in developing the next 10-year National Health Plan.
The other three workshops held for Southern, Highlands and Momase regions completed on a high note with exhaustive thoughts and suggestions to develop the health plan 2011-20.
The new 10-year plan is expected to be a single policy document that would require specific implementation plans for three main themes on, health system strengthening, service delivery improvement and priority health challenges.
The new plan, to be simple and to come in two volumes, is to encompass the Government’s national strategic plan in the next 40 years.
Within that framework, the Health Department’s plan to transform the health system will roll out in the next 40 years.
For the new health plan, the first draft is expected to be ready by February nexy year and the launching is expected in July.
The department’s senior executive management has drafted the goal, vision with mission statements and values, that would guide in writing the plan.
Planning team leader and executive manager strategic policy, Elizabeth Gumbaketi, said the aim of the workshop is to provide the opportunity to health practitioners, managers, stakeholders, provincial and districts management teams in contributing to the new health plan.
“The discussions are vital to ensuring the development and formulation of the new health plan, is done in a consultative, constructive and collaborative manner,” she said.