Image: Minister for Forests and Member for Kiriwina-Goodenough Hon Douglas Tomuriesa MP (in front on the left), Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis (centre), Chair of the Milne Bay Provincial Health Authority Peter Neville and members of the community at the opening of the new community health post at Kaduwaga.
On 3-4 August, Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis visited Kiriwina-Goodenough district, Milne Bay Province to open two new Community Health Posts (CHP). The High Commissioner was joined by Minister for Forests the Hon Douglas Tomuriesa MP (Member for Kiriwina-Goodenough) as well as representatives from the National Department of Health, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Milne Bay Provincial Health Authority Chair Peter Neville and CEO Billy Naidi and members of the district administration.
A new CHP at Sinaketa will serve more than 12,000 people living on the island of Kiriwina, and surrounding islands including Kitava, Muwo and Vakuta. A new CHP at Kaduwaga will cater for more than 3,000 people in the surrounding islands located to the west of Kiriwina. These are the last of four CHPs to be completed in Milne Bay under the Rural Primary Health Service Delivery Project (RPHSDP), at a cost of K4.5million each. Two others; Bubuleta and Gurney were opened in 2016 and 2017.
The RPHSDP supports the Government of Papua New Guinea’s long-term vision to transform the health system. Especially to improve the health of the rural population by providing efficient and high-quality health services. The new CHPs include a delivery and post-natal room, toilets and washing facilities, and medical waste management facilities, as well as new staff housing.
The RPHSDP is supported by Australia as the major contributor under the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership, ADB, OPEC Fund for International Development, Japan International Cooperation Agency and the World Health Organisation. While in Kiriwina-Goodenough, the High Commissioner joined Minister Tomuriesa in addressing staff and students at Kiriwina High School, highlighting the value of education and reiterating Australia’s commitment to an enduring partnership with Papua New Guinea, across all regions of the country.
The High Commissioner also completed a number of activities in the Milne Bay provincial capital of Alotau, including officially launching the new Alotau Chapter of the PNG Australia Awards Alumni Association and undertaking a tour of exhibits at the Massim Museum and Cultural Centre, which has recently been relocated and refurbished thanks to the efforts of local volunteers and artists.
Source: The Australian High Commission in PNG
