Health services should go on: Official

THE closure of the provincial administration building – Agiru Centre in Southern Highlands – should not be an excuse for health services being disrupted, says a member of the provincial health authority.
Deputy chairman Alex Awesa said the provincial funding for the health authority has always been a problem.
“Southern Highlands government has not put in any money. By law under the authority, there is supposed to be some amount of money that is supposed to counter-fund what is coming from the Health Department.” Awesa said the Health Department’s normal budgetary support was there for the Mendi hospital.’
“They (SHP government) are supposed to be in the money for the rural health services.
“Under the new arrangement, the PHA amalgamates rural health services which is basically health centres, aid posts, district hospitals which were functioning under the provincial government underneath the health adviser.”
Awesa’s comments follow concerns after Southern Highlands PHA chief executive officer said the closure of the Agiru Centre disrupted health services in the province.
“We (PHA) are supposed to be autonomous, we are self-funding, we have our auditors and we run our own cheques.”
He said PHA needed funding from the provincial government and did not need the centre to run its cheques.
“The CEO is supposed to work within the budget and not complain.”
The Southern Highlands PHA was set up and came into effect last year.