Morobe advertises 400 vacancies in health sector

By ZEBEDEE GIAME
THE Morobe health authority (PHA) has already advertised 400 positions and is aiming for another 460, chief executive Dr Kipas Binga says.
He said the recruitment of the initial 400 would enable the PHA to address gaps identified in the recent National Health Standards workshop.
“Staff strength has been our biggest challenge since we came on board as a PHA but we want to thank the Department of Personnel Management for allowing us to advertise the first half of our total vacancies,” Binga said.
He clarified that from the advertised positions, 200 would take up roles at Angau while the other 200 will go to public health.
“At the moment, Morobe PHA is trying to cover staff gaps at the Tent City and West Taraka urban clinics,” Binga said.
He said this was to ensure that the facilities at the Angau remained free to absorb cases from other districts.
Binga, however, pointed out that though the positions had been advertised, there was still not enough health professionals in the country.
“We will try to fill in the vacancies,” he said.
“But we are hoping we have the expertise there to fill them out because it was not just us who was advertising but other PHA’s as well.”
He added clinical training and medical research was also needed.
“Morobe PHA is now looking at partnering state research institutions so that we are able to generate data,” he said.
“Along with improving our clinical and medical services because we are hoping to make Angau a level six hospital in the near future.”
He confirmed that there was already an existing training partnership between the Divine Word University as well as the Lutheran Health Services and the Catholic Health Services.