Where is the money for healthcare?

THE deputy chairman of the PNG Christian Health Services, Rev James Koi, said they have not received all the money allocated to them by the government in the 2017 Budget.
Christian Health Services (CHS), which oversees the operations of all church-run health services throughout the country, has raised serious concerns that the government has marginalised CHS and its agencies by its lack of attention and funding for salaries and operations.
Until only a few years ago, these churches were responsible for everything from building infrastructure, procurement and distribution of medicines and equipment and workers’ wages.
In recent times, the government has taken over the responsibility of salaries and, in some cases, allocated operational grants to some of these vital establishments throughout the country.
However, what was a welcome move by the government has become problematic to the recipient – church medical service providers.
The churches are not getting the money they want or need.
The government’s commitment is commendable but the delay in releasing much-needed funding to the churches does more harm than the good.
Staff of church-run health facilities throughout the country have not been paid for over four months.
In 2014, the chairman of Catholic Health Services, Archbishop Stephen Reichert, raised very similar concerns on health services being affected because the government had failed to release the funding on time.
He pointed out then that the release of salary and operational funds to the churches was often delayed.
Surely this injustice and violation of the rights of church healthcare providers is avoidable.
And one might ask, how many public servants in the government offices dealing with funding for church health services would be able to work for three months without pay?
The fact that staff at church health facilities and individual workers continue to work for months is commendable and a show of a deep sense of commitment to their calling.
Certainly, hiccups like delays in the release of salaries and operational grants can be removed with a little more effort by those concerned.
It is hoped that the concerns raised would be noted seriously by the Departments of Health, National Planning and Implementation and Finance as they are primarily responsible for what happens after a government’s money plan is passed.
Churches and government have an excellent partnership in service delivery and as much as the spirit of such cooperation is concerned, all impediments in the way must be removed.
This government-church partnership is to be nurtured with greater understanding between and among the various parties for the continued and improved provision of health services in the country.
It is a known fact that the government’s bureaucratic processes are for the churches way too cumbersome and time consuming.
What may be considered normal system delays by a government institution could easily cause serious disruptions to the provision of health services provided by the churches.
The government’s commitment to the health sector is welcomed by all. However, the provision of a large chunk of the annual budget is merely a shadow of what is to be expected.
What must follow such commitment is ensuring that what is slotted to the various expenditure items is released on a timely manner.
The churches have spoken out about the serious funding issues faced by organisations depending on government funding.
Besides the churches, there are other institutions, including some that are government-run, who are face similar funding problems annually.
The call is a timely reminder to the Government.
When the 2018 Budget cycle begins this month, it is hoped the powers that be can make a deliberate change so churches’ healthcare providers do not get a repeat of the problems faced in the past 18 months.