MARCH 27, 2023
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape today (Monday, March 27, 2023) opened the magnificent K210 million state-of-the-art East Sepik Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wewak, which he renamed as Great Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare Memorial Hospital.
PM Marape opened the facility in front of a massive crowd which braved the sweltering heat to hear him speak.
The hospital was built by VAMED, a global provider for hospitals and other facilities in the healthcare sector, with a K190 million soft loan from the Czech Republic, and K20 million counterpart funding from the Papua New Guinea Government.
VAMED was also involved in building the Goroka Base Hospital under a similar arrangement.
“This facility we are opening today is a world-class facility,” PM Marape said.
“It reflects the commitment my generation of leaders made to the country when we took office on May 30, 2019.
“We reechoed in the 2022 General Elections that we will ensure modern health facilities are delivered to our people in the health sector as a top priority
“That is why, after the elections, we appointed a Health Minister (Dr Lino Tom) who knows the health sector back to front.”
PM Marape said his Government wanted modern, quality health services which were easily accessible by the people and which they could reach in one hour.
“Health, and more important better quality health care and facilities, is something that our country deserves,” he said.
“I want to assure East Sepik that you deserve this, and better.”
PM Marape said the hospital was delivered against the backdrop of COVID-19 for the the last four years, a rundown economy, the 2022 elections and imported inflation as a result of the war in Ukraine.
He said also that COVID-19 exposed that the PNG health sector was completely rundown. For instance the country had only 44 beds with oxygen supply available.
PM Marape said these made the Pangu Pati-led Government start allocating funding like never before to health starting in 2022.
He said the country’s population was growing so fast and its resource envelope could not cope with this.
PM Marape said the Government went for cheap concessional loans to cope with this, and fund impact projects like the new hospital, which would benefit the generation of now and into the future.
“This hospital is a national asset which you people of East Sepik deserve,” he said.
“This hospital must not be wasted. It secures your future.”
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