Health sector needs K142mil

HEALTH and HIV/AIDS Minister Dr Lino Tom says K142 million is needed immediately to fund health services and fix medical supply issues.
He told Parliament the health sector had requested for an allocation of K303 million but only received K200 million
“With the carry over liabilities, the sector now requests a funding gap of K142 million,” he said.
“I have revisited the recommendations and outcomes of the parliamentary accounts committees into medicine supply procurement and distribution, enquire what has already been done and ensure appropriate action will be taken to implement the recommendations,” he said.
Dr Tom said his 100-day plan was to improve health services in terms of manpower, drug supply and provincial health authority facilities and management.
“The immunisation rate (too) has been stagnant over the years,” he said.
“We require support from other sectors in building roads and bridges for our health workers to conduct the outreach programme to villagers,” Dr Tom said.
He also said the health sector continued to face challenges like poor health worker-to-patient ratio of 4 to 1000.
He said the population of PNG continued to grow at a rate of 2.7 per cent, with the estimated 9.1 million people in 2020 and 12 million by 2023.