Plans are afoot for the establishment of the Central Provincial Hospital.
Minister for Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru, says the Government has set aside funding for the project.
The 400-bed hospital project, which was announced in February 2016 and endorsed by the provincial government, is now being fast tracked by the Government.
Minister Maru said the move is to lessen the demand on the Port Moresby General Hospital, which is expected to be upgraded.
“We’ve parked money in the budget for this year for the Central Provincial Government to sort out land and we will start the design and we will build a new hospital for Central Province.
“They can’t continue to come and use Port Moresby,” he said.
“As Planning Minister, I’d like to see Port Moresby upgraded to Level 7 Hospital with all the specialist facilities for our country.
“We’ve parked K30 million in the budget for next year, we want to build a third lab, I want to see a specialist heart hospital in Port Moresby, and cancer.”
Maru added the Angau Hospital in Lae is also earmarked for major upgrades, especially its cancer ward.
With plans to have hospitals in all provinces and districts, staffing will become an issue.
Minister Maru said while the Government works to improve staffing welfare to have more doctors and nurses in the provinces and districts, they will also be looking for expatriate specialists to go rural.
“Were talking to Cuba.
“I’m leaving with a team to India this weekend to try to talk to the Indian Government to assist us with doctors for all our districts.”