Health extension officers (HEOs)

Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority acting chief executive officer, Dr Jonah Kurubi officially opened the new facilities on Monday 7^th August, 2023.

The staff clinic and on-call rooms were established to manage risk and promote the safety of both staff and patients in the hospital hence; a hospital that runs 24/7 and has very high trauma rates and limited staff must have Doctors (registrars and residents) on call.

The signing was between the Department of Personnel Management and the National Department of Health on behalf of the Health Extension Officers’ Association.

The MoU was to bring into effect, Determination of Salaries and Allowances of the Health Extension Officers, which was 10 years overdue. The last MoU was in effect from 2011-2013.

The MOU is now known as the ‘HEO Attraction Allowance’ MoU.

With doctors standing down from their jobs at the ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital, the COVID-19 hospital lacking emergency drugs and other critical medical supplies, the Nurses Association Morobe president, Siling Awasa, is urging citizens to protect themselves against the virus.

She outlined that sunlight (heat) contributes to the healing of multiple health conditions, including severe acute respiratory syndrome.