Kevin Nyango
TechInPacific – The Health Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Dr. Puka Temu believes that technology is the solution to the issue of health system occurred in PNG. Moreover, he says that it is a modern way of distributing health services across the nation.
He mentioned ‘e-health’ is a technology that can address current issues, such as the lack of medical specialist at the level of district. The Minister said: “So gynaecologist here can communicate with Goilala (a rural district in Central Province) when the mother is having a difficult delivery,”
“The obstetrician will communicate through IT, face to face, instruct the midwife out there how to deliver the complicated delivery, to save the mother and the child,” he continued.
However, a recent post on a journalist of EM TV, Scott Waide’s Facebook account reported that PNG has been lacking antibiotics and painkillers which is already a common situation in the nation. Dr. Temu has not reacted to this findings and instead, he mentioned that the nations did not lack basic medicines, according to his interviews with the local media.
Despite the health issue, the Minister is certain that the healthcare system in PNG will gradually improve as it has already implemented IT (Information Technology) infrastructure.
“So, business will be cheaper, government services like e-commerce, e-agriculture, e-education, e-health – I think this is the way for the country to go,” he concluded.
