Academic doctors at the University of Papua New Guinea School of Medicine and Health Sciences received their outstanding awards of K5.5 million yesterday.
The 30 academics stopped work on Wednesday, January 24, and gave the government one week to respond to their grievances over non-payment of their awards, dating back to January 1, 2014.
PNG National Doctors Association (PNG NDA) president Dr. James Naipao confirmed that the lecturers received a positive response yesterday and classes at the medical school will resume today (January 31).
Naipao said the UPNG’s Vice Chancellor picked up the cheque yesterday.
He highlighted that the letter written by Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, on behalf of the government to honour the commitment to pay the backdate awards, has now been fulfilled.
The process done earlier by the UPNG Administration didn't find the right path. NDA took it on board on behalf of its members and brought it forward to the Government that delivered it as promised.
“Some of the academics are long-time members of PNG NDA, some joined recently and some are not but irrespective of the status, we did what we thought was genuine, proper and fair,” Naipao said.
He thanked Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, the Chief Secretary, Healthy Secretary Pascoe Kase, Finance Secretary Ken Ngangan and the Treasury Department for resolving this issue amicably.