PNG health service receives big boost

The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) board of directors has approved a total financing package of US$195 million to support the delivery of accessible and affordable health services.
The financing package comprises two regular loans worth $100 million and $45.10 million and a $49.90 million concessional loan – all sourced from ADB’s ordinary capital resources balance shee – to help PNG’s efforts achieve universal health coverage.
In a statement, ADB’s health specialist for the Pacific Inez Mikkelsen-Lopez said: “PNG’s poor health outcomes are the result of deteriorating healthcare services caused by volatile and unpredictable health financing as well as weaknesses in government systems and in health sector capacities.
The programme builds on ADB’s long-term engagement in PNG in the health sector.”
Despite a period of high economic growth in recent years, averaging 6 per cent annually from 2006–2015, PNG failed to achieve its targets for the Millennium Development Goals on maternal and child health.
Life expectancy in the country relative to income is low at 65 years and the estimated burden of disease is dominated by chronic diseases, including stroke and heart disease, together with conditions of poverty such as pneumonia and neonatal conditions.
Limited investments in the country’s health infrastructure as well as suboptimal health sector governance also undermine service delivery, Mikkelsen-Lopez said.
The health services sector development programme combines a policy-based operation and project financing to support critical sector reforms and investments in PNG, enabling the long-term sustainability and effective use of the country’s health sector financing.
Deficiencies in health sector governance, weak public financial management, and fragmented funds flows will also be addressed.