The health outcome priorities
as outlined in its 2009-2013 strategic objectives is to :
Fully immunize
every child under 1 year old.
Reduce maternal mortality in districts with high maternal
deaths.
Reduce malaria prevalence in high malaria endemic districts.
Reduce rate of increase in HIV and AIDS and STIs.
Reduce incidence of TB in high risk districts.
Increase access to health services for the urban poor.
In order for us to move forward, we focus on three key result
areas which are –
Healthier
communities
Improved support for service delivery
Better management
Basically health care in Papua New Guinea is provided by governments,
churches and a few private clinics and doctors.
In terms of facilities,
there were 1820 aid posts, 508 larger health centres, and
48 urban clinics in 2000. About 96 percent of the people living
within reach of these primary health care centres.
There are government hospitals in all provinces except central
whose people receive medical services from Port Moresby General
hospital which is basically a teaching and referral hospital.
There are two small private hospitals in the NCD too.
The National Department Of Health plans and administers health
programs that are implemented at the Provincial and district
level however the current devolution exercise has seen the
delegation of powers to hospitals to be more flexible in managing
their own human resources and finances.
Other programs are aimed at improving nutrition, personnel
cleanliness,dental care, and mental health. The government
also tries to promote safe water supplies and food sanitation.It
tries to control communicable diseases, (e.g. diarrhea, tuberculosis,leprosy
and sexually transmitted diseases) by giving people better
information about the nature and the cause of the diseases.
Our Mandate
The National Goals and Directive Principles enshrined in the
preamble of The Constitution of the Independent State of Papua
New Guinea are the guiding values that underpin theNationalDepartment
of Health’s mandate. They are:
Integral
Human Development including a call for improvement in the
level of nutrition and the standard of public health to enable
our people to achieve self fulfillment
Equality and Participation
National Sovereignty and Self Reliance
National Resources and Environment
Papua New Guinean Ways.:
Our Role and Our Focus
Our Role
The Strategic Plan (2006-2008) defines the core business of
the National Department of
Health and its branches as:
Policy
and planning
Monitoring and evaluation
Service improvement
Support or enabling services
Governance
Advocacy and partnership coordination.
The role of the National Department of Health is to provide
clear direction to the health sector on the health priorities,
ensure there are evidence based and sustainable policies to
assist the development of implementation plans, work with
key stakeholders to ensure effective and affordable programs
are able to be delivered where and when they are needed, and
implement the governance and performance management strategies
that will promote accountability and transparency across the
health sector.
Our Focus
The delivery of health services is the primary responsibility
of the Provinces and Districts as described in the Our Mandate
section. However, one of the key objectives of the National
Department of Health is to support the delivery of services
at the regional and local level. To facilitate this there
needs to be a focus on the following:
Targeting
critical vacancies, supporting our front line staff and having
a plan for our future needs that gives us the capacity to
achieve the health improvement goals we have set.
Strengthening our management systems to ensure we are making
the right investment choices, the release of funding occurs
in a timely and efficient manner and supplies get to where
they are needed when they are needed.
Rebuilding and maintaining our health facilities with particular
attention to our villages, rural areas and Provinces without
hospitals.
Aligning our governance systems, processes and structures
with our corporate objectives.
Looking at new and better models of support for service delivery
includinginnovative partnerships with other providers and
moving resources out into the regions. The above objectives
are interdependent and require all aspects to be in place
to make the sector work more effectively. We need the staff
and supplies, the facilities and the funding to be working
as a whole, not considered separate parts. This must be our
focus for the next five years.
Our Vision, Mission,
Goals and Values
Our Vision
For the people living in Papua New Guinea to be a nation of
healthy individuals, families and communities where self reliance
prepares all for healthy living in a healthy islands environment.
Our Mission
Monitor the physical, social and mental well-being of people
in their communities, and to promote and encourage the maintenance
of community health at an acceptable level by planning and
delivering preventative and curative medical and other health
services.
Our Goal
To improve the health of all people of Papua New Guinea through
development of a health system that is responsive, effective,
affordable, acceptable and accessible to the majority of people.
Our Values
The Department’s values are those clear and important
beliefs, ethics, attitudes and work culture, that staff are
encouraged to apply and demonstrate in all aspects of their
working lives which include:
