University needs improvement in environment

By LULU MARK
THE teaching and learning environment at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) needs to be improved to continue training skilled doctors and health workers that the country needs, a senior state official says.
Acting chief secretary Isaac Lupari said this during the opening of the newly-refurbished dental and prosthetic laboratory at the campus yesterday.
The new lab will be the main teaching area for the diploma in dental technology of the dentistry department after the original lab, which was rundown, was closed for two years.
The lab refurbishment and reequipping was one of two project commitments Lupari made when he visited the school in October 2018, under the previous government.
The other projects under the same commitment were the installation of security lights around the campus, renovation of dining hall, renovation of medical education unit and purchase of 16 computers for the computer lab.
Lupari said when he visited the school in 2018, he had been concerned at the state of the facilities and commented at the time that it did not look like a school that trained health professionals.
He made a commitment to source funding to renovate and refurbish the facility.
Lupari allocated funds (K3 million) to the project from the Department of Prime Minister annual budget savings.
He said K1 million was put into the renovation and redevelopment of the lab and K500,000 was put to complete fencing of the school.
He said the 16 computers were already delivered and another 16 would be given before the end of the month.