Aust boosts rural health care

Australia is increasing access to better health care for three districts of Madang Province, with the building of three aidposts and staff accommodation for its health workers.

Australia, through the Incentive Fund, provided K1.3m to the Madang Catholic Health Services for the construction of 11 houses and three aidposts in Sumkar, Madang and Bogia.

Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish
being welcomed at the Mugil Health Centre in Madang Province

The funding is part of K5.5 million provided to the Madang CHS under the Rural Health Infrastructure Development Project, to restore effective care delivery in the Middle Ramu, Bogia, Sumkar and Madang districts.

“Collectively, Churches provide half of the country’s health services, especially in rural areas and this project signifies the contribution churches make in improving and increasing access to better health care in rural areas,” said the Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish.

“Once completed the infrastructure will increase the number of people receiving medical treatment within the communities and decrease infant and child mortality rates in the four districts.

There will also be a decrease in the number of women dying in child birth as health workers will be accommodated at the health centre,” said Mr Kemish.

The building infrastructure will also increase community and health worker satisfaction with health services provision.

Since the year 2000, Australia has built about 350 million kina worth of health and education infrastructure in PNG through the Incentive Fund.

“Of the 20 projects that the Incentive Fund supports in this current phase, I am also very pleased to say that seven are within the health sector and 13 are in the Education sector,” said Mr Kemish.

“We are proud that this partnership with PNG has delivered such strong results over a long period for the people of Papua New Guinea.”

The Incentive Fund supports well-managed organisations access funding for innovative projects that have a strong development impact for the people of Papua New Guinea.