Health Minister, Dr. Lino Tom, has thanked the Australian Government and the Old Dart Foundation for funding training and accommodation facilities for the new UPNG Rural Clinical School in Kompiam, Enga Province.
The school, located within the Kompiam Hospital grounds, is a satellite campus for the UPNG Medical School and is now a primary location of the training of rural doctors.
The first batch of seven students – 5 women and 2 men – begun five months of training where they will travel into some of the most remote parts of Enga to deliver medical help under the supervision of veteran doctor, David Mills.
The facilities cost a total of K3 million and were funded as separate projects managed by the Kompiam Hospital administration. The two-storey training facility contains lecture rooms and a ward.
“I am grateful for the leadership of Dr. David Mills who has spent a considerable part of of his life in Kompiam. This new chapter gives us a great deal of hope for the future as we try to bridge the gaps between our people’s needs and the availability of doctors,” the Minister said.
“I am also proud of the young men and women who have chosen to be trained in rural medicine and to serve part of their training in Kompiam. The Marape-Rosso Government is strongly behind this initiative.
“We wish them all the best in their future careers.”