We are getting healthier: Report

The National National

By LULU MARK
THE health status of Papua New Guineans is improving, according to a recent health sector performance report.
In the national health plan 2011-2020, the key results areas that determine the health status are improved child survival, reduced burden of communicable disease (KRA6) and promotion of healthy life style . The overall sector performance from 2013- 2017 shows that:

  • The outcome (health status) increased to five per cent from 0 per cent;
  • the output (health service and risk factors service coverage) increased to seven per cent from one per cent;
  • the process (health system and management) declined to -37 per cent from -33 per cent.
  • The input (health system resource) declined to -8 per cent from -6 per cent. The Health Department performance monitoring branch manager Manah Dindi said the results came from the reports health facilities submitted through the national health information system.

“The health sector has a reasonably well established basic national health information system which provides essential information on health services and health status,” she said.
“Fourteen indicators are reported through NHIS and measured at the national level.
“These are the core indicators used to measure the performance of the health plan. Information captured for disease programmes were malaria, tuberculosis, reproductive health, deliveries, nutrition, immunisation services and the availability of essential drugs and supplies.
Dindi said timely reporting from the health facilities was important.
She said that operating since 1987, the NHIS mainly collected information on service delivery from health centres, urban health centres and hospitals which included church-run facilities throughout PNG.
She told attendees of the Christian Health Services annual conference this week that according to their record, 41 per cent of the 598 CHS health facilities reported through NHIS. The 51 per cent of the government health facilities reported through the NHIS.