National Planning and Monitoring Minister, Richard Maru, will ensure funding will be released next month for work on the new cancer and heart treatment facilities at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
Minister Maru was impressed with the planning of the proposed treatment and said he will make sure funding is made immediately.
The Minister made this remarks during a visit this week to the Port Moresby General Hospital to see where the POMGEN Management and Board are with plans since the announcement to have a cancer and heart facility.
Hospital CEO, Umesh Gupta, presented Maru the plan which utilises existing infrastructures and available space to open the new specialist centres.
Gupta presented a budget of just over K25 million needed to open the cancer centre, cath lab & CCU, and cardiac unit.
This can be achieved immediately if the funds are available.
Minister Maru was impressed with the plan and pledged quick assistance.
“I am extremely excited with what Ive seen, what I need now is a copy of the letter to me with the break up and how you will use the K30 million so I can make sure from next month onwards we can get funding released so you can move forward with the plan,” said Maru.
He added “I want to make sure in next month’s cash flow we allocate first half of your funding, and over a month or so we release the rest, subject to cash flow.”
The Minister informed Gupta and the Board to also provide a five year plan and capital expenditure so they can plan ahead.
He said it was time the hospital provided the care and support needed for the people of PNG.
“I’m looking forward to government finally after 43 years of independence attending to the needs of our women,” he said.