The Hela Provincial Health Authority (Hela PHA) is strongly committed to raising the level of health service delivery for the people of Hela Province in 2017.
Hela PHA Chair and Managing Director of Oil Search, Peter Botten and his board of directors reconfirmed their commitment when talking to Hela Provincial Hospital staff before their first board meeting recently.
Since 2016, Oil Search, the Oil Search Foundation and the National Government have closely supported the Hela PHA in its efforts to improve health outcomes in Hela.
Botten said; “Last year we did a lot, but this year we will do more. And the pressure is on the board to perform - the pressure is on all of us to perform - but the cause is the greatest cause we can undertake. It’s providing world class health services to the people of Hela.”
Acting Chief Executive of Hela PHA, Freda Makanda and her senior management team, gave the board a tour of the Provincial Hospital before Botten addressed staff about hospital developments and plans for 2017.
“There are many challenges working in Hela and today the board will be discussing some of these challenges, he said. We’re now a provincial health authority so we also have responsibility with the Provincial Government for health centres around the province. We need to ensure the funding for rural health comes to the PHA, and that we are employing highly skilled staff and supporting our staff to deliver the services not just in Tari, but across the whole province.”
Botten also presented new uniforms for healthcare workers donated by Oil Search Limited. Makanda thanked Oil Search for the uniforms saying the scrubs would lift morale and create a professional atmosphere among the staff.
The operating theatre Nurse Unit Manager, Rebecca Christopher said hospital workers were impressed and excited with the improvements driven by the new board in a short space of time.
“We are looking forward to seeing what happens in 2017 and we would like to work together and cooperate with the changes that are coming to the Hela Provincial Health Authority’ she said. “With the positive words that came from the Chairman himself, we are very pleased and so happy that we will achieve something in the future. And I don’t think it will take long.”
Botten thanked the Hospital’s senior management and staff for their patience and working with the new Hela PHA to deliver sustainable health services for the people of Hela.
“The pressure is on,” he said. “We made fantastic strides in 2016 but there’s more to come in 2017, more to come!”
Picture: Hela Provincial Hospital staff in their new uniforms with Chairman of the Hela PHA board and senior Oil Search and Hospital executives. (L-R) Rodney Nasnas (HEO), Gerea Aopi, (Executive GM, Stakeholder Engagement Oil Search), Joyce Akuni (CHW), Peter Botten, (Chair Hela PHA and MD Oil Search), Nancy Kipo (Nursing Officer), Stephanie Copus-Campbell (Executive Director, Oil Search Foundation), William Telenge (Operating theatre) and Freda Makanda (Acting CEO, Hela PHA).