Leadership in health

LEADERS in the business of health should have a very good understanding of the ‘business of health’ at a broad length.
That leader should have clinical and public health background.
At some of this leader’s working life, he or she has served as a clinicians and had a hand on preventive medicine.
Person with no hands on patient care experience will find it uncomfortable to advise on direct patient care (National Health Service Standards) operational matters.
He or she in that leadership level will find it difficult to come to an Aid Post and conduct an outpatient clinic.
Or, lead a public health intervention activity on the operational front or, lead a ward round in an inpatient ward.
He or she will find it difficult to speak our medico clinical language.
In this respect, he or she is not the ‘fit and proper person’ for any chief executive officer position in the health sector.
This time in our nation’s history, PNG has health people that can lead health in this country.

Dr James Naipao
President
National Doctors Association