Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority nurses will soon have their long-awaited accommodation units built.

This follows the recent signing of a contract between the nurses, a contractor and the Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority.

The signing of the contract paves the way for contractor, SRM Limited to start work on the nine stand-alone 3-bedroom houses immediately and have them delivered to the nurses within eight months.

Construction of these units has been delayed for nearly two years due to contractor issues and other problems faced by the previous contractor.

During the signing of the contract, the Managing Director of SRM Limited, Lloyd Hemlet Imbong told the nurses that because the project had been delayed for so long, his company would work long hours each day to try and complete the houses within the given time frame.

He added that his employees would work 8–10 hours a day to try and fulfil the nurses’ dream of having their own accommodation units but he needed the nurses’ help if he faced any problems along the way.

The nurses said the signing of the contract was a dream come true for them and would assist the contractor in whatever way possible to ensure the project was completed within the given time frame.

The nine houses will cost approximately K2 million and will be funded by the PNG Nurses Association.

The management of the WHPHA has apologised for the long delay in getting these houses built and thanked the nurses for their patience while the issues with the previous contractors had been addressed.