The Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority (WHPHA) is constructing a number of urban clinics in the Hagen Central District to bring primary health care services closer to the people.
This is in addition to services already provided by the existing urban clinics at Kagamuga and Rebiamul and the rural facilities in the districts so that people can receive these vital services at their doorsteps.
Two of the new urban clinics to be built will be at Ogelbeng along the Baiyer River road and Wagbel village in the Warakum area outside Mt Hagen City.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of WHPHA, Mr. David Vorst said the idea of building these urban clinics was to stop the people having to travel long distances to get services.
He said travelling long distances is expensive and carries risk which is why we are improving access to services closer to where people live.
Mr. Vorst said Mt Hagen Hospital will concentrate on referrals from these urban and rural clinics thereby improving access to specialist services available at the Mt Hagen Hospital.
He said to facilitate services at the district level, the WHPHA and its donor agencies including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have spent in excess of K70 million to build district hospitals at Kotna in Dei District, Tambul and Tinsley in Baiyer River.
The donor agencies have also funded the reconstruction of Lumusa Health Centre in Baiyer River and the refurbishment of Kagamuga Urban Clinic.
Chairman of the WHPHA Board, Mr. David Guinn said in addition to this, the Western Highlands Provincial Government under the Governorship of Rt. Hon Paias Wingti and local MPs, Hon William Duma (Minister for State Owned Enterprises and Member for Hagen Open), Hon Koi Trape (Member for Mul/Baiyer/Lumusa), Hon Wesley Nukundi (Member for Dei) and Hon Benjamin Poponawa (Minister for Labor and Industrial Relations and Member for Tambul/Nebilyer) have also provided significant funding for health services in the Province and the districts.
Mr. Vorst went on to say the WHPHA was also pleased to work with service partners such as Susu Mamas, Marie Stopes, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and Anglicare, saying these partnership arrangements have further enhanced the efforts of the WHPHA in providing primary health care services to the people in both the urban and rural areas.