by Jack Lapauve Jr – EM TV, Port Moresby
Communities in Northern Province will be able to more closely monitor government spending following the publication of Health Services Charters for four health facilities.
Published with Australia’s support, the charters outline services, standards and allocated budgets for the Kokoda, Saiho and Sangara health centres and the Popondetta General Hospital, which are wholly PNG government-funded and managed.
The charters were launched by Francis Possy, Manager for Policy Legal and Governance at the National Department of Health, and Henry Yamo of the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Committee (CIMC).
The charters list all the services provided by the four healthcare providers, together with itemized budgets, and includes the officials responsible for delivering the budgeted funds to the health facilities. The charters will be widely displayed at all health facilities.
Additionally, the CIMC will provide training for health centres and hospital stakeholders on the relationship between the budget and the charter, and how to monitor expenditure against the budget.
The preparation of the charters was supported by the PNG-Australia Law and Justice Partnership Transition Program, which assists in strengthening law and justice delivery.
