The Simbu Children’s Foundation has received a much needed financial backing of K25,000 to support its medical research and health interventions.
On Wednesday 15th March, Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd (KPHL) Executive General Manager - Corporate Affairs, Luke Liria, presented a cheque of K25,000 to Jimmy Drekore of the Simbu Children's Foundation in a small ceremony.
"Kumul Petroleum has always had a focus on assisting the health sector in PNG, which includes hospitals, larger Health Department institutions, and worthy smaller NGOs such as the Simbu Children's Foundation," said Mr Liria.
The Simbu Children's Foundation, established in 2006 by Jimmy Drekore, has successfully implemented projects such as Brave Hearts, the Mother of Life Centre at Irugl, and the Prevention of HIV Transmission to Children. The organization is best known for its pioneering work in identifying resistant osteomyelitis, a condition in which bacterial infection deteriorates bone.
The Foundation has been supporting osteomyelitis research since 2012, based at the Sir Joe Nombri Memorial Hospital in Kundiawa, led by Dr. Izard Igua and genetics and medical researcher, James Francis, in collaboration with the Institute of Medical Research in Goroka and James Cook University.
"It is heartening to see that this research has gained international recognition, and we should all be proud of such homegrown medical research," said Mr Liria.
Mr Drekore emphasized the importance of adhering to international ISO standards for PNG research activities. The organization has published four articles on their work in international journals, garnering widespread recognition.
"We hope that our small contribution will assist in the successful and important implementation of Phase 3 of the osteomyelitis research work being carried out by the Simbu Children's Foundation over the next three years," Mr Liria added.