By Fabian Hakalits – EMTV News, Port Moresby
Health Secretary, Pascoe Kase, is disappointed with budget cuts to Christian health services, describing it as an oversight.
The national government has now realised this and is managing challenges encountered by Christian health services in terms of budget cuts.
Kase described the budget cuts as an oversight by those who put the budget together. He said there is intention by the National Health Department and the national government to cut the budget of church health services.
Even before Waigani, churches have been at the forefront of development in providing much needed services, especially in areas of health and education.
“To me and to us, the senior executives of this department, we felt that it was an oversight, by those who have put the budget together. Because Christian health services to us, as the National Health Department and our partners, church health services is very important to us,” he said.
Kase said the National Health Department has already met with representatives from church health services, discussing achievement, challenges, and policy initiatives.
“The national government has already been advised through a policy paper that the health department prepared and minister submitting to the National Executive Council and relevant state agencies.
“The church health services will not suffer but get what is legal by law and through the budge, have to be appropriated,” he said.
Kase said the government has made a new commitment, and will address the budget cuts to Christian health services.
