Secretary of Health

In a statement, Secretary Pascoe Kase while it was true that there were limited supply levels of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) drugs in the Department’s central stores, this was for two reasons.

“The first is that all drugs are distributed by the HIV Program Teams to treatment centres around the country. It is vitally important that adequate levels of these drugs are maintained at clinics close to the patient groups to ensure continuity of supply,” stated Kase.

On Friday 24th November, the delegation was led by the Health Minister Puka Temu and Secretary of Health Pascoe Kase.

In welcoming the Minister and Secretary, Acting Director, Dr William Pomat said that it was an honour to have the Minister and Secretary to visit and for staff to report on IMR’s research achievements, challenges and solutions in order to save Papua New Guinean lives.

The statement by the Secretary of Health, Pascoe Kase comes after recent media reports concerning proposals to charge high fees for snakebite treatments.

Hospital fees are set under the Hospital Charges Regulations and no hospital has the power to set fee.

Hospitals can only recommend fee to the Minister for Health who then seeks approval through the National Executive Council.

Kase said once approved, hospitals must implement the approved scheduled fees.

In a statement, Secretary Pascoe Kase, responding to the news that the radiation oncologist had passed away on July 4 at the ANGAU Memorial General Hospital in Lae.

The Secretary went on to say: “Dr Niblett was the foundation of the establishment of radiation oncology services in Papua New Guinea, and committed a large part of the last 40 years in providing his services treating cancer patients from the Cancer Centre in Lae.

“Papua New Guinea was indeed fortunate to have benefitted from his valuable contribution to the community and the health system.”