Parkop: PHA system not working
National Capital District [NCD] Governor Powes Parkop said the Provincial Health Authority [PHA] system is not working, with no clear line of reporting.
He highlighted the example of the NCD Provincial Health Authority.
“There is a lack of clinical plan for the city that will identify how many clinics, aid posts and others needed based on clinical needs and the population," Parkop said.
He said PHAs were set up in the early 2000, as part of reforms in the sector to improve access and give powers back to the provinces rather than be held at the Health Department.
While some provinces have taken off with work in their local PHA’s, the capital city PHA still needs more work.
Governor Parkop slammed this PHA arrangement, describing it as one that’s not working.
Governor Parkop was also critical of the lack of a clinical plan for the capital city since 2019 and the need for it.
The NCD Governor is working on a proposal to amend and correct this.
Karavore: PHAs report to Health Minister and Governors
Meanwhile Health Minister Elias Kapavore said PHA boards report to both the Minister of Health and provincial MPs or Governors as per Sect 28 of the Provincial Health Authority Act 2007.
“We have tightened up on the governance process by ensuring that all provincial administrators are mandatory members to the PHA boards with voting powers," Minister Kapavore told NBC News.
He further clarified that PHA CEOs must submit reports to their boards for endorsement before they are forwarded to both the Minister of Health and governors.
“This has been a missing link in the past and is made mandatory by the Amendment to the PHA Act in 2023," he said.
He added that any PHA CEOs and their boards who fail to comply with this requirement will be put on notice and even face termination.
“We have also established a performance monitoring tool with PHA Boards and their CEOs to tighten up on PHA performances,” Kapavore said.
NCDPHA complete clinical service plan
The National Department of Health has completed the Clinical Services Plan for NCD Provincial health Authority.
Minister Elias Kapavore told NBC News, the clinical services plan highlights the diseases patterns with levels of required level of Health facilities in NCD and in determining the clinical services required for the NCD Level 5 Hospital in Gerehu.
“The NCDPHA Clinical Services Plan is documented in view of the utilization of health services at Port Moresby General Hospital, Central and Gulf Provinces.”
He was responding to concerns raised by NCD Governor Powes Parkop on the lack of a clinical service plan for the capital city to determine the number and levels of hospitals and airports to built based on the population.