Madang health sector faces 400 staff shortage amid structural crisis

More than 400 positions remain vacant in Madang Province’s health sector, raising serious concerns about the province’s ability to deliver adequate health services.

The vacancies stem from years of staff retirements, deaths, and transfers without replacements. With many existing workers nearing the retirement age of 65, the situation is expected to worsen unless immediate action is taken.

Chairman of the Madang Provincial Health Authority [PHA], Dr. Boga Figa, said an urgent restructure of the PHA is needed to address the ongoing workforce crisis.

“When the PHA concept came on board, it nullified previous health structures in the province,” Dr. Figa said. “All provincial health services were meant to merge with the provincial hospital under the PHA, but that merger never fully materialised.”

The provincial hospital, previously managed under the National Department of Health with its own separate budget, was supposed to be integrated into the provincial system. However, mismanagement and lack of proper implementation have left many staff members misplaced and a large number of positions unfilled.

Dr Figa also revealed that the Department of Personnel Management did not accept a restructure done by the previous PHA management, leading to complications in workforce alignment.

“We still have over 400 staff who are paid as casuals,” he said. “These places a massive financial burden on the province where around K400,000 is spent every month just on casual wages.”

He appealed for a proper restructure to be endorsed and implemented so the PHA can operate with a fully functional and stable workforce.

With the current system failing to support a sustainable health workforce, Dr Figa said health service delivery in all six districts of Madang remains at risk.