Dr Mathias Sapuri

Deputy Chairman of the National Health Board, Dr Mathias Sapuri, said this in a statement released today.

DWU’s accreditation is among the steps taken to address the workforce crisis in the health sector.

Dr Sapuri said mechanisms were already in place to tackle the manpower shortage in PNG’s health sector, such as the Health Work Force Enhancement Plan 2012-2017.

“And as a result, six more nursing schools and seven community health workers schools were opened, while the capacities of the existing schools increased.

His call comes a few days away from the annual Globeathon to End Women’s Cancers, which falls on September 24.

Sapuri acknowledged that the Pacific International Hospital was currently in talks with the government for a possible public-private partnership that will see a specialist in the country.

But he is adamant to keep reminding relevant authorities of the need.

“In the future, our encouragement is to make sure that government continues to invest in cancer cure so that we can have a good established radiotherapy in PNG.

As statistics reveal, cancer is responsible for roughly 1,500 female deaths annually.

And with the demographic health survey saying that an average Papua New Guinean family size is four children, this leaves about 6000 children motherless yearly.

Cancer, particularly cancer-below-the-belt, is still a very uncomfortable topic to discus with women and even men.

But health specialists keep reminding us that knowing about these cancers and what you can do to help prevent them or find them early (when they are small and easier to treat) may help save your life.

This was gynaecologist specialist, Dr Mathias Sapuri’s call as PNG prepares to join the world this Sunday to help raise awareness on women’s cancers and put an end to the rising statistics of cancer-related deaths.

Speaking on Wednesday, Dr Sapuri could not emphasise the seriousness of the matter anymore because the statistics of women being diagnosed with cancer in PNG numbers into the thousands every year and is rising.