Madang Provincial Health Authority (MPHA), just like any other health authority has been experiencing a lot of struggles and challenges towards delivering the National Health Plan 2021-2030 and its five Key Result Areas.
The Key Result Areas include:
- Effective communities through effective engagement
- Working Together in Partnership
- Increase access to quality and affordable health services
- Address disease burdens and targeted health priorities
- Strengthen health systems
Dr. Juith Gawi, Director of Curative Services (Emergency Physician), said there are so many factors dragging the Authority down, in terms of poor medical supplies and consumables, the aging workforce and run-down infrastructures.
In terms of facilities, he states that up to 60 percent of all the frontline clinic and aid posts in the six districts need redevelopment and maintenance.
This has all given the burden on how the Modilon General Hospital deal with attending to health issues within the Province.
Dr. Gawi states that they will be internally assessing the services that are being provided, starting from the Level 1 standard, which is aid posts, right up to Level 5, which is the hospital.
By doing this, it is anticipated that recommendations will arise from what the survey results show, in order to improve in terms of the clinical referral pathway, the clinical corporate and public health governance issues and infrastructure development.
According to Dr. Gawi, this will enable system strengthening in terms of finance and budgeting, and compliance with how the Authority is run, with respect to delivering the National Health Plan and its operational plan.
This should also see to how the Authority can best deliver services from Level 5 down to Level 1 in a synchronized manner.
The Madang PHA is keen on embarking on this as soon as possible so that they are able to recognize the level that they are in, in order to concentrate on revamping services where need be.
They would like to see that the General Hospital will cater for referrals and emergencies plus other major health issues. By doing that, it would mean that the frontline Aid Posts that are currently closed or inoperable will have to be redeveloped to cater for the communities and district populations.
It is only then, according to Dr. Gawi, will a clearly defined system be put in place to meet the functional needs.
Currently, the Modilon General Hospital is undergoing some maintenance and renovations of the emergency wing and labour ward.