Health Department

The initiative is in support of the World Cancer day theme ‘Close the Care Gap’, this is about identifying and addressing the barriers that exists for people around the world to access the care they need.

The objectives of the meeting is to achieve and provide appropriate approaches to the implementation level in cancer prevention, control and care within PNG.

Both Morobe Provincial Health Authority (PHA) and Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) will be expanding on treating cancer patients in the future.

He issued the directions after meeting with Indian High Commissioner to PNG, H.E. Shri S. Imbasekar, yesterday, Tuesday January 4, 2021.

High Commissioner Imbasekar impressed upon Marape that India was the cheapest supplier of generic drugs recognised by the WHO to the world.

He said India could supply drugs to PNG on a government-to-government basis at a fraction of the costs PNG was currently paying to pharmaceutical companies, and save a lot of money.

Dr. Liko was responding to questions raised by the media on the progress of the report during a recent press conference.

He said the investigation team is awaiting the “toxicology” report before it can submit the complete report to Parliament, and for public consumption.

“The report will be ready by this week. The report cannot be completed without the toxicology report,” he said.

The Health Secretary said as part of the investigation, tissues were taken from the late teenager and was sent to a pathology lab in Melbourne, Australia for analysis.

He said there are allegations that bulk of the 23 million kina released by the government for COVID-19 operations, was being used to hire cars and media consultants.

The 23 million Kina released by Treasury for COVID-19 operations, must be prioritized well, to include purchase of medical kits and Personal Protective Equipment.

However, Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey has since raised concerns of alleged misappropriation.

He was accorded a small farewell ceremony by Department staff and stakeholder representatives on Monday 27^th January at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby.

Kase took the opportunity to highlight some of his achievements and some of the plans which are yet to be accomplished.  

Among some of the major achievements were:   

Secretary Pascoe Kase said in December 2019, the Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS, Jelta Wong, and Prime Minister James Marape announced at the opening of the new health facilities developments in Tari Provincial Hospital, Cabinet decisions to build new Hela and West New Britain provincial public hospitals.

“This is a welcome announcement for the two provinces, which will now make specialist medical services more accessible to the people,” Kase said in a statement.

According to provincial disease control officer Maria Sabok, the result came from tests done at the Central Public Health laboratory in Port Moresby recently.

Sabok said health workers carried out a mass vaccination on 335 inmates including 154 officers and their families, and reported this case.

The inmate has been vaccinated.

She told TV Wan news that they have enough vaccines to continue the program.

The National Department of Health also reported measles being detected in the Gulf Province.

Sir Puka said there is surplus medical drugs in-store at the Area Medical Store but break-down in communication is what’s causing the delay.

He said hospital managers and CEOs must always communicate with the Area Medical Stores for their supply of medical drugs.

He was responding to questions raised by the Member for Ijivitari Richard Masere, to clarify the shortages of medical drugs in the country.

“Can the good Minister tell the country the truth and confirm or deny if we have medical drugs?” Masere asked.

The National Department of Health has confirmed with the Madang Provincial Health Authorities that anthrax disease was not an outbreak, though it existed among pigs in certain parts in the habitat.

According to World Health Organisation, anthrax is a disease caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. It is a disease which has existed for hundreds of years and which still occurs naturally in both animals and humans in many parts of the world. In its most common natural form, it creates dark sores on the skin.