Health Ministry

According to the standard doctor-to-people ratio set by the World Health Organization is 1:1000; however, that is not the case in PNG as one doctor is serving 17,000 patients. This is alarming.

Minister for Health Dr Lino Tom shared this in parliament today.

Morobe Governor Luther Wenge has asked Minister Tom to bring in overseas doctors to support the health workforce in the country.

Dr Tom also raised concerns that the medical school in the country is also producing a constant number of doctors not exceeding 60 every year which is a big problem in the country.

He was speaking at the presentation of K88million funding towards the completion of the Cancer Unit at the Port Moresby General Hospital on Thursday.

During a brief visit of the Intervention Cardiac Unit, OIC of the unit, Dr. Wesong Boko, said since the upgrade, a thousand patients have been assisted in country.

Referring to this statistics, Minister, Dr Tom said this is great savings for the country.