Health workers in the Western Highlands have been told to do what they can within their own means to help those in need instead of waiting for their employer to make financial resources available.
Acting Director for Curative Health Services with the Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority (WHPHA), Dr. Madison Dat said the country was going through a tough financial situation which affected all government organizations including health and employees must not wait for it to provide funds but do what they can to help others.
He was addressing health workers at a recent graduation of community health workers who had attended a six-month training program in CHW Upskilling Training in Midwifery at Hotel Kimininga in Mt Hagen.
The training course was the 5th to be conducted by the WHPHA since its inception in 2012 and had attracted 10 community health workers from rural health facilities in both the Western Highlands and Enga Provinces.
Dr. Dat said the WHPHA had invested its money in the right area because patient care was its core business and thanked all those involved in making the training successful including the trainers as well as the participants.
“We need to see where our needs are and try and fill those gaps to help everyone. I encourage you to do the best you can to help those in need during this time of financial problems”, he said.
“Treat all those in need as you would want others to treat you and you will get all the satisfaction”.
Enga Provincial Health Authority Chief Executive Officer, Aaron Luai said the training staff had done a tremendous job in the last five years to graduate many community health workers in midwifery skills and encouraged them to continue their good work.
Mr. Luai said he was very impressed with the presentations made by two previously trained CHWs which showed big improvements in the area of midwifery and added that he was encouraged to send more CHWs to undergo such training.
“Community Health Workers are the backbone of this country and I thank the Rural Primary Health Services Delivery Program (RPHSDP) and WHPHA for funding this program.
“I want to see the four PHA provinces in the highlands working together and training more CHWs so that together we can help reduce the mortality rate in the region and the country”, he said.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the WHPHA, Dr. Paulus Ripa when officially closing the training workshop said he was overwhelmed by the two presentations which showed the WHPHA had invested its financial resources in the right areas that produced positive results.
“Doctors cannot do everything on their own. Doctors, nurses and community health workers need to work as a team to help reduce the maternal and child mortality rate in our region and the country”, he said.
Dr. Ripa said he was part of the team that put together the CHW training curriculum several years back and was proud to see and hear of the success stories of some of the community health workers and pledged his support for the CHW upskilling training program.
