Sir Puka plans health reforms

National

MINISTER for Health and HIV/Aids Sir Puka Temu plans to shake up the health sector with major reforms.
“If we want to fix our health system, we need to make some major changes,” Sir Puka said.
“We must get back to basics – fixing our systems and investing in our health workers.”
First on the list is the cancellation of the national health conference.
“This is not the time for talk. I have instructed the department to direct all nonessential funding to basic services, and that includes cancelling the conference,” he said.
It is expected to save the department more than K300,000 which has been directed to frontline service delivery.
“Discussions on health service delivery must move out of hotels in Port Moresby and to the regions and provinces where our health workers and administrators in the districts and provinces can find solutions to local problems,” he said.
Sir Puka has secured approval for an additional K100 million in the supplementary budget to pay for drugs and medical supplies.
It will be split between the Health Department and Port Moresby General Hospital.
He also ordered that a two-year procurement plan be developed.
“Stock-outs of essential medicines at some of our hospitals are unacceptable,” he said.
“Health workers need to be provided with the tools they require.
“The first step is by paying our bills to suppliers and making sure we have a proper procurement pipeline.”
Sir Puka outlined a 100-day plan and other longer-term initiatives to reform the health sector.
The plan adopts a “back to basics” approach and refocuses attention and resources on primary health care systems.
This includes developing a basic package of health care with a strong family planning focus, meaning all women, men and children will have access to and be able to demand a minimum set of health services.