Vehicles boost health for Western Highlands

WESTERN Highlands Provincial Health Authority (WHPHA) employees have been told by their Chief Executive Officer Dr James Kintwa to shape up or ship out if they cannot accept accountability.

Dr Kintwa said anyone who did not work did not deserve to be paid and if they needed to be disciplined, the responsible authorities should do it.

Dr Kintwa delivered this bold message to his staff last Friday when closing a week-long Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) workshop, attended by facility managers and district health officers from all rural facilities throughout Western Highlands and Jiwaka Provinces.

The occasion also culminated in the presentation of five new Toyota Landcruiser vehicles – four 10-seaters and a utility – to three health centres and the Corporate Services Directorate of the Provincial Health Authority.

Two of the vehicles were donated by the National Gaming Control Board while the other two were purchased by the National Department of Health, through the former Health Minister, Mr Jamie Maxtone-Graham. The fifth vehicle was donated by AusAID through the Health and HIV Implementation Service Provider (HHISP).

Dr Kintwa thanked the respective organisations for their assistance which would improve their health service capabilities, especially in the area of transportation, particularly in the rural areas of both Jiwaka and Western Highlands Provinces.

The three health centres that received the 10-seater vehicles were Minj in Anglimp/South Wahgi District, Nondugl in North Wahgi and Jimi District Health Services, all in the new Jiwaka Province. The other two were given to the PHA’s Corporate Services Directorate.

Dr Kintwa strongly emphasised that the vehicles were to be used strictly for work to assist staff to deliver health services and improve coverage of immunisation and antenatal visits, as well as to ensure there was reduced infant and maternal complications and increased supervised deliveries.

He said the implementation of the Provincial Health Authority had provided the organisation with good opportunities to improve health services to the people of Jiwaka and Western Highlands Provinces.

“I call on all our staff to use this opportunity to think differently and improve your attendance, punctuality and attitude towards work so that we see services improve in our districts and the hospitals,” he said.

A Member of the WHPHA Board, Reverend James Koi, who officially handed over the vehicles to the recipients, said the PHA management had done a lot in the short history of the organisation to raise the standards of health in the province.

He said since the establishment of the PHA about 18 months ago, much development had taken place with financial assistance from donor agencies such as AusAID and ADB as well as support from NGOs and churches, and the Board was very grateful to all of them.

“Health work is very hard and doctors and nurses play a very important role because people’s lives are in your hands and I thank you all for the good work you do,” he said.