Kase: Free health care remains

 HEALTH Secretary Pascoe Kase has clarified that the free primary health care and subsidised specialist care policy applies for every day of the week, including weekends.

Kase said the policy became effective in February last year. He tabled some of the achievements of the key priority areas in the health sector during the Leaders’ Summit last week in Port Moresby.

“The implementation of the free health care policy is now taking place,” he said.

“The laws that enable the free health care to occur at public hospitals, regional hospitals and rural health services had been approved by the Government and implemented. The challenge is the release of K20 million that replaces user-fees charged and collected by hospitals, health centres and aid posts.

“It comes a little bit late towards the end of the year and it’s not good because people will try to find excuses not to implement it. 

“So it’s important that these funds must be released on time so that facilities won’t find excuses for charging fees.

“Those responsible for releasing funds should ensure that the funds are released early in the year.”

He had received reports that health centres and aid posts in some provinces continue to charge fees, especially on weekends and after hours. He told the governors and provincial administrators that it was wrong.

“We must ensure that user charges do not prevent the poorest people from enjoying the right to access to basic health services,” he said