An overall review of all the health facilities in the National Capital District will be conducted through a survey by the Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform and Service Delivery.
The review will be done in liaison with the Health Department.
Chairman of the Special Parliamentary Committee, Elias Kapavore, says the committee should come up with a report by the end of the year.
Kapavore states his committee has instructed the Minister for Heath and his Secretary to do an accreditation survey so they can establish the current reality and identify the gaps in the health facilities in NCD.
This review will cover both the public and private health facilities in the city.
“I would like to count each of the facilities in each of the electorates in NCDC. Establish how many facilities are here, the kind of workers who are in these places, the kind of the facilities, the structures that are in place and where does NCDC come in,” Kapavore explains.
As for the private health facilities in NCD, Kapavore says his committee will look at how many are operating, their respective registrations, how many are on the medical board and nursing council and find out about their operational procedures and the kind of system they have in place.
The review will also look at the fees and charges those private facilities are imposing on people so that these things are actually coordinated properly and monitored.
“All of these will be reported back to the Parliament so that the people can actually know what types of services are provided at each of the health facilities that are in NCD,” Kapavore states.
In the public health facilities, Kapavore says Port Moresby General Hospital, according to the national health standards, is supposed to be operating as a level 7 specialist tertiary hospital in the country, but that is not happening.
“There’s a lot of congestion at the moment. A lot of people are complaining about PMGH supposed to give us that kind of services that we need but it is not in terms of specialist services.
“We have to conduct a survey to determine its operational capacity as a level 7 hospital, that’s what we need to do at the moment.
“The committee will be tasked at looking at the system. There must be some form of clear pathway that will lead to clear referral to PMGH,” Kapavore adds.
(The TB Ward at the Port Moresby General Hospital)