Poor leadership fails rural people

 POOR leadership at the provincial level has led to the failure of health service delivery to the rural communities, according to two governors.

Enga and West Sepik governors Peter Ipatas and Amkat Mai voiced their views during the signing of a partnership agreement with the Health Department in Port Moresby last Thursday to attain the public health authority (PHA) status.

Ipatas said as politicians and bureaucrats, they needed to look for solutions to make sure that their people did not suffer continuously. 

“I would like to see that we have a unified system and the PHA, its sole business would be to provide health services,” he said.

“It’s our business to take ownership and responsibility of health in our provinces because health problems in each province are different.”

Ipatas also announced cabinet’s approval for the construction of a state-of-the art hospital for Enga. 

Mai said the partnership was timely when all the systems had deteriorated.

“Critical of this functioning of systems is poor leadership and I’m proud for West Sepik to sign up with the PHA to have a commanding body.

“We need to improve the quality of lives, my people are prone to communicable diseases and it’s critical that we secure the borders.”

Mai said building a strong nation depended on the health of the people.