New health facilities delivered to the Pimaga District Hospital will ensure the people of Kutubu and surrounding areas have access to quality health care.
Southern Highlands Provincial Health Authority Chairman Mr Augustine Mano and outgoing SHPHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Joseph Birisi were in Pimaga to officiate at the unveiling of these new facilities.
They include a digital x ray machine (K800,000), dental services facilities (K100,000), pathology equipment (K100,000), waste management system (K50,000), and a 250kVA generator (K400,000) for power.
The total investment cost for the equipment is about K1.5 million. The new x ray machine was bought by Petroleum Resources Kutubu (PRK), a subsidiary of Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC), while the rest were purchased by SHPHA.
Joining Chairman Mano and Dr Birisi to witness the milestone occasion were PRK director Johny Yawari and Kutubu Local Level Government President John Kila.
Mr Mano said the delivery of these facilities strengthen access to health care for the Kutubu people, who have had to travel long distance to Mendi and Hagen for x ray imaging, dental care, and laboratory (pathology) tests.
“Our people of Kutubu do not have to travel long distance anymore. We have the equipment here now. Pimaga District Hospital already has an imaging specialist and a dental doctor on site. We are working on bringing officers for the lab and pathology services,” Mr Mano said.
“Our aim is to raise the standard and capacity of district hospitals in Southern Highlands. We want our district hospitals to be the leaders in providing quality health care at the rural level in the country.”
PRK director Yawari delivered an emotional plea to his people to utilize the facilities that were delivering quality health care closer to home.
“The Pimaga hospital was built by Chevron in the 1990s. It served the people the basics. But we didn’t have such facilities, forcing our mothers and fathers to travel long distance, trips which were often dangerous.
“Now, thanks to the partnership between SHPHA, MRDC and Santos, we have these facilities here at home.
“I must commend the leadership of Augustine Mano at the SHPHA. There has been vast improvement in delivery of health services throughout the province. Southern Highlands is going to achieve the targets of the National Health Plan faster than other provinces.”
The delivery of the facilities enhances Pimaga District Hospital’s quest to reach level 4 status.
