Kotna Health Centre in Dei District of Western Highlands Province has received funding to upgrade its status to a Rural Hospital.
This was made possible through funding under the district services improvement program at the cost of 20 million kina.
Western Highlands Provincial government and the Australian Government are counter funding the project.
Following a ground breaking ceremony of the project by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill a year ago, a signing ceremony last week signaled the beginning of the project.
Last Thursday, hundreds turned up at Kitip Secondary School to witness the ceremony as well welcome their member Westly Nukundi and also former Prime Minister and Western Highlands Governor, Pias Wingti.
Students dressed in traditional attires performed as sign of respect for the delegation.
The occasion was for the contract signing of Kotna Health Centre to be upgraded into a Rural Hospital.
The total project will cost K20 million, from that K16 million will be for the actual construction while K4 million will be used to purchase medical equipment.
This project is funded under the district services improvement program and as the member outlined, the new setting will be of a modern hospital standard.
Mr.Nukundi said this project was planned in advance.
The new hospital is part of Western Highlands Health Authority’s Model of Care plan to bring health services to the people.
Contract for the project was signed between Western Highlands Tenders Board and the contractor.
The day coincided with presentation of several vehicles purchased under the DSIP funds and the provincial services improvement program funds.
Governor Wingti before presenting the vehicles boasted about his influence in the current government.
Wingti presented 4 support vehicles to Dei district, a school bus to Kitip Secondary School and an Ambulance to Kotna Rural Hospital.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=dD33fsPXrR0%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
