Photo credit: PM James Marape News Page - PM Marape launching the Central Provincial Hospital at Bautama recently. He is flanked at Central Governor Hon. Robert Agarobe and other ministers and MPs.
According to James Marape, the 2022 Budget puts a greater emphasis on the health sector than ever before.
He mentioned this during the opening of the K500 million, 300-bed Central Provincial Hospital for Central and Papua New Guineans in Bautama, Central.
Roads, housing, power, and other infrastructure in the new Central City at Bautama, which is adjacent to the hospital, would cost up to K700 million, according to the Prime Minister.
“This is a very-timely moment, especially on the back of us going into Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday November 30) to pass our 2022 Budget – a Budget that has greater focus on the health sector in our country,” PM Marape said.
“Health is receiving over K2.6 billion of the K22 billion Budget, in fact, 11.2 per cent total allocation.
“This is possibly the first time in the last 46 years we’ve been a nation, for Health Sector to receive the biggest allocation – ahead of Education and many other sectors in our country.
“This is a case in point that we are serious about our people’s health issues.
“Health comes first, we cannot compromise lives and livelihood of our people.”
PM Marape stated that Central was prominently included in the 2022 Budget allocation to the Health Sector, and that this would continue into the following year.
“The story will continue, the journey will continue, until, hopefully in 2025, we will be able to come here again on this ground when a brand-new 300-bed hospital is delivered not just for Central Province but for the country,” he said.
One positive aspect of COVID-19, according to PM Marape, was that it revealed the Health Sector was "completely weak" in responding to the pandemic and other illnesses, with just 200 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds.
“COVID-19 has pointed us to the fact that we do not have the health system and capacity to handle severe outbreaks of any disease,” he said.
“In 2021, we made a conscious choice that investment in the health system will be ramped up, something that our generation of leaders can give to our country.
“This is so that by 2025, when our Nation celebrates 50 years of Independence, we have a better reformed health care system in our country.
“This is evident in 11. 2 per cent of the total 2022 Budget going to the Health Sector, and that will be ramped up as we go into 2023, 2024 and 2025.
“Hopefully, we will have 22 world-class hospitals in our country delivered by then, or if not delivered, taking shape.
“I want Central Provincial Hospital to be delivered by 2025.”
Reference: PM James Marape News Page (29 November 2021). “PM Marape: Government is focused on health in 2022 Budget”.
