Arawa hospital to level up

By ZARA KANU in Arawa
THE Arawa District Hospital will be elevated to a level five specialist referral hospital by 2026.
Hospital chief executive officer Cyril Imako said it was the main agenda for the Prime Minister James Marape’s visit to the district hospital on Friday.
“As far as the development of this hospital is concerned, we are at the stage where we want to inform Prime Minister Marape and his delegates of the hospitals developments,” said Imako.
“The Bougainville department of health has given us the okay to upgrade and improve the infrastructure to accommodate a level five hospital.
“The status of the hospital will then change to a clinical and specialist hospital to address the increase in health issues that require the correct diagnostic attention by specialists and by the use of clinical machinery.
“Bougainville’s department of health commenced work on the level five development in October 2023, and we are to complete work by or before 2026.”
The amount of K17 million was initially committed by the Autonomous Bougainville Government in its 2022 budget, for the hospital’s development.
Bougainville’s health department developed the plan in 2023, and instructed the management to guide the construction process that had been endorsed by the ABG in August 2023.
“Since the crisis, we have had problems with core sectors and health is one of them.” Imako said.
“This was once a top provincial hospital in the country.
“There is a need for specialists in the hospital, to attend to the growing number of cases referred here.
“The management team has been working closely with the government of PNG, and counterparts, to bring service delivery to all of Bougainville, and the support will be seen in the rebuilding of the hospital.”
The hospital is currently a level four and comes under the Autonomous Bougainville Government Health department.
The prime minister and his delegation were taken on a tour of the labour ward, operation theater, pathology, X-ray, the hospital’s five general wards, and then to the pharmacy section.
The next stop was a visit to the Arawa School of Nursing’s new facility and classroom sections, which were built by a local contractor.
Marape commended the hospital management for maintaining a steady flow of service despite facing issues to do with funding, medication, bed spacing and lack of medical professionals in the hospital.
“My Government will assist to see the development of the hospital and the school of nursing fully functioning,” he said.
“In the middle of our own struggles, we must keep on delivering and preparing Bougainville for the future that lies ahead.
“This foresight is a plus for the hospital. To be elevated to a level five hospital is now a core priority for both governments to work on.
“The Bougainville Government has parcelled and is still keeping K17 million.
“They will advise on the procurement process and we should see some developments by or before 2026.
“Under the leadership of President Ishmael Toroama, we hope to tick off this major development in the near future.”