The National Government is reviving the country’s health sector from “intensive care unit” after years of neglected by past governments says Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
“Health is a strong foundation for our government, when we took government four years ago the health system in the country was on the verge of collapsed, in fact it was in ICU itself.
“Truly for the first time we are funding are national health development plan, we have this 10 year development plan in the country but have never funded it (by past governments).
“When we took government we started funded it and even thought we have not overcome the challenges we have you can see the remarkable achievement we have had today, if you go to Port Moresby General Hospital, Angau Hospital, Modillion Hospital in Madang and also throughout the country,” O’Neill said.
In this year’s budget, the Health sector received the third largest share with a total of K1, 565.9, million or 11 per cent.
Key expenses include: Drugs and Medical Supplies K151 million; Church Health Grants K26 million, Free Health Care K20 million, HIV/AIDS Treatment Drugs K14.1 million and Medical equipment K5.6 million.
New projects under the Health sector include Angau Memorial Hospital Redevelopment K40.3 million, Port Moresby Specialised Referral Hospital Rehabilitation K20 million, and PSIP for Provincial hospital Infrastructure K225 million.