Caption:
The plan being dedicated by Pastor Khem Zia (centre) with Malabag
(second left) Kase (third right) laying their hand to it.
Caption:
Minister Malabag
By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, October 20, 2013 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
THAT
was the frank message from the Minister for Health Michael Malabag at the
launching of the Department Health’s Corporate Plan 2013-2015 last week at its
headquarters at Waigani, Port Moresby.
Those in attendance were from the
department hierarchy and development partners in the sector.
The minister described the
country as the land of MoAs (Memorandum of Agreements), MoUs (Memorandum of
Understandings), Corporate Plans, and Ground Breaking ceremonies.
“Our biggest
problem is implementation- we are guided by too many plans with nothing to show
for, because they are never implemented.”
“We have to
do the right thing, not by the government but by the people of PNG, and in
order to do that we politicians have to work closely with the bureaucracy,” he said.
He said that
in September 2012 all departments were instructed to come up with three priority
areas, however, with health being an area of great importance they came up with
seven areas of priority.
The corporate
plan identifies the priorities that were outlined in the Alotau-Accord such as:
the Implementation of Free Primary Health Care and Subsidized Specialist Care; Roll
out health reforms of Provincial Health Authorities and improved governance and
service delivery at provincial levels; Improve the Medical Supplies
distribution system; Strengthen our support to Church Health Services; Develop
and implement the Health Workforce Plan; Improve Health Infrastructure; and
Improved Governance.
“Government
is committed to providing health services, which are accessible and affordable.”
“It
is the poor that suffer the most when services are not available or are not
within their financial reach.”
“Aid
posts must stay open, drugs must be supplied and hospitals must be
rehabilitated,” he said.
Malabag
highlighted that the Government had endorsed the Free Primary Health Care and
Subsidised Specialist Health Care Policy and expects the policy to commence
implementation immediately.
The
policy aims will increase access to services for the poor and will complement
the back to basics strategies of the National Health Plan 2011-2020.
He
referred to media reports that talk about a lot of health problems all over the
country, pregnant women dying, children dying, because lack of access to proper
health services.
“Fingers
are pointed at everyone, the government, department, Provinces and district
authorities.”
“Health
centres must stay open, medical supplies must reach the centres, and lack of
adequate planning causes these issue to arise, which is what planning is all
about.”
“This
plan focuses on the government’s key priorities. The plan will be implemented
this year- this being the year of implementation announced by the O’Neill-Dion
Government,” Malabag pointed out.
Minister
Malabag then challenged his department uphold the values already incorporated
in the plan- to be professional, productive, loyal, maintain integrity, have
courage, and have the innovative to think outside of the box- above all to work
as a team and be productive.
Secretary Pascoe
Kase added in his address that while other plans had been developed in the
sector, they needed a plan of our own at the Department to make sure they
provided leadership and good governance.
“We are a team
and so I ask that we all work together to implement this plan.”
“I am confident
of my Senior Executive, the department managers and everyone down the line to take ownership and demonstrate leadership and
commit themselves to move the department’s corporate vision forward.”
“Let us be proud of our profession and what we
have accomplished so far.”
He announced that
the revised NDoH Corporate Plan 2012–2013 represented a new direction and
standard for health service governance and leadership.
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