Strain on system over stop work

PAPUA New Guinea’s church-run health facilities are into the second week of a partial stop work which has put a strain on the health system, especially in the rural areas where Government reach is minimal, according to officials.
Christian Health Services (CHS) chief executive officer Ulch Tapia told The National that from the K20 million released by the Government to the churches, the CHS component of K7.9 million was cleared and processed on Monday.
Tapia said this funding would cover a month but funds appropriated for April to July were still outstanding.
He said the condition in the stop work notice issued by CHS and Catholic church health services (CCHS) on June 10 was that the Government had to release all the funds owed to the churches in order for the partial stop work action, which started on July 3, to be lifted.
Tapia said if the full funds were not released by August, the churches were prepared to extend to a full stop work.
CHS executive and general assembly chairman Japalis Kaiok said general terms and condition of the partial stop work was issued but individual church agencies faced different challenges.