Papua New Guinea - Health



Government policy is to distribute health services widely and to provide comprehensive medical care, both preventive and curative. In the years 1985–1995, 96% of the population had access to health care services. Medical personnel in 1990 included 301 doctors and 2,447 nurses. As of 1999, there were an estimated 0.1 physicians and 4 hospital beds per 1,000 people. In 2000, 42% of the population had access to safe drinking water and 82% had adequate sanitation. As of 1999, total health care expenditure was estimated at 3.2% of GDP.

The main health problems are malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, and venereal disease. Significant malnutrition occurs in some areas and pneumonia and related respiratory infections are major risks. In 1999, there were about 250 reported cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 inhabitants. There were 797 malaria, 5,335 tuberculosis, and 6,821 measles cases in 1994. The increased incidence of malaria has been linked to importation from neighboring islands. Immunization rates for children up to one year old were fairly high in 1994: tuberculosis, 91%; diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, 66%; polio, 66%; and measles, 39%. In 1999, the rates for DPT and measles were, respectively, 56% and 58%. While malnutrition remains a major problem, dramatic changes have occurred in some groups with exposure to more Westernized diets. Diabetes in the highland populations is low but has been documented to be as high as 16% in major cities of Papua New Guinea.

As of 2002, the crude birth rate and overall mortality rate were estimated at, respectively, 31.6 and 7.8 per 1,000 people. As of 2000, 26% of married women (ages 15 to 49) were using contraception. The infant mortality rate decreased from 110 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1974 to 56 in 2000. In 1999, 16% of all births were low birth weight babies. The maternal mortality rate was 370 per 100,000 live births in 1998. Life expectancy was still only 59 years in 2000.

In 1996, Papua New Guinea had the highest per capita HIV prevalence in the North and South Pacific regions. As of 1999, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was estimated at 5,400 and deaths from AIDS that year were estimated at 450. HIV prevalence was 0.2 per 100 adults.

Coronary heart disease, previously rare or nonexistent, has become more prevalent in past years. Total cholesterol values are higher in urban coastal and periurban subjects than in rural locations.

Also read article about Papua New Guinea from Wikipedia

User Contributions:

1
William Biau
I am a student of Divine Word University in Papua New Guinea Studying Alied Health Science. I am doing my assignment TB and leprosy insidances of Its states of Papua new Guinea.
Could you please, provide me with some information?
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
2
Amun Demstar
Im a Health Science student in Divine Word University in Papua New Guinea. Im doing an assignment about TB. Could you help me find out:
1) the prevalence of TB in PNG, in developing countries and around the world
2) and explain why TB is such a major health problem in PNG

Thank you
Being a student I find the article amazingly helpful and very interesting. I really would like to know more about the 'Millenium Development Goal specific to TB in PNG and how well PNG has adapted and performed.
Sir, could you please provide me with information. Your help and consideration would be much appreciated.
I beleive other readers too finds the article very interesting and helpful.Thankyou for all that is written in the article..
Hi, Iam a journalism student studying at the Divine Word University. I read the above article and am pleased. I am currently working on a major accademic essay with "Health in Papua New Guinea as my topic". I am therefore asking if you could help me by providing some information regarding this topic.
Thank you.
Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Bro you the man true Papua New Guinean me proud...
As a student at Divine Word University currently studing Health Management we did a major assignment about Health Ethics. I would like if you can provide enough information about the problems that are faced when procuring, planing,managing and disposing of medical drugs when not applying the priciples of ethics?
Iam a student at Divine Word University Papua New Guinea. Iam doing a assignment about Health Economics and my task is to find out the "Value of studying economics for health managers in PNG".Could you please could you provide me with some information about my assignment.
thank you.
your assistance will be greatly appreciated.
I would like to how youths can tackle ethical issues whilst expressing their views of Health issues through a medium such as photography
I am a student at DWU. I am doing an assignment on Implications of shift from the traditionsl housing to modern housing requirments in Papua New Guinea in the Environmental Health Profession.
Am a student at DWU and studying Environmental Health Science and carrying out a research on How TB seem to become a problem to most of the people in the country. I would be greatful to have some facts and figures of recent updates.
I am an health science student of PACIFIC ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY,I must say that the article was well understood and thanks alot for posting the information on the net.I'm currently doing my research assignment on diabetes type 2 incidences.I'm kindly asking if you can provide the necessary information on that. Thankyou for your attention
12
Baraya Lahu
Currently studying Health MANAGEMENT at Divine Word University in Madang and and IM doing my research on some current trends in management of Medical equipments in Papu New Guine in terms of planning, procuring, and disposal of medical equipments.I will be happy to receive some of the information related to it.
13
Maryanne Idawa
As a future Health Manager studying at Divine Word University, this site would be a great help to me to know more about the health situations of Papua New Guinea. I am doing a research on the current problems faced with the management of medical equipments in Papua New Guinea. I would greatly apreciate it if you could provide me with some of the information relating to my reasearch.
14
Theonilla Danga
I am a student at DWU and Im doing a assignment on "Implications on the shift from the traditional to modern (western) housing requirements in PNG" as a professional Environmental Health officer. I would greatly appreciate if you could provide me with some information relating to my assignment.
15
damaris. warambukia
I am an health science student at DWU studying physiotherapy. Currently, I'm doing an assignment about how TB spreads in the social context of PNG.What are the associated problems relating to TB in PNG? I would be greatly appreciate if you would give me the necessary information regarding my assignment.
16
Mark Andrew
I'm one of the students of Divine Word University majoring Health Management under Health Science Faculty. Recently working on my assignment abouut Health Care System in Papua New Guinea. I specifically request you if you could kindly provide me with the Ranges of Health Services provided by the regarded Health Care system to complete my assignment. Yours prompt respond should be highly appreciated.
17
poroto inkisopo
I am a student Studying psychology in UPNG, am embarking on a major paper regarding health and how people especially the authorities view the importance of health. My topic " Corruption and health in PNG" if you have any case studies or articles on the topic I'd appreciate it.
your consideration will be of emmense benefit to clinical psycholist of PNG.
18
pulpohnong
I am a student Studing Civil Engineering in UOT, am doing this research essay on MDG 6 for my LA102 course. My topic is 'causes of health problem in PNG'.
I would be greatly appreciate if you would give me the necessary information regarding my assignment.
19
Brenchley Raburabu
Hi, I am an undergraduate student of the Faculty of health Science and currently studying Health Management at Divine Word University.I am doing a research on standard requirements of sub- health centers and health centers in PNG in terms of staff ceiling, hospital infrastructure-number of specific wards needed in a health center and a sub health center. I would greatly appreciate it if you provide me with necessary information on these. Thank you.
20
David Wambi
I am a 4th year Mechanical Engineering student at PNG UNITECH. I am doing my graduate project on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on Healthcare waste Waste Management in PNG. I have interviewed and provided questionares to health staffs (mostly doctors and nurses) within the highlands region including, Angau General Hospital(Lae), Goroka General hospital, Mendi General Hospitals and other private hospitals. I was stunned by the lack of knowledge on waste handling, lack of knowledge on health legislations, and the attitudes towards waste managment practices was very poor.
Doctors and nurses lack LCA method and have strongly agreed if proper trainings were conducted every year to make them more aware of HCWM. Bad HCWM practices leads to landing filling, dumpimg of waste towards water and open incineration that further leads towards terestrial Eco toxcity, fresh water ecotoxicity, and global warming respectively.
The PNG health Authority does not encourage the different hospitals across the country to keep proper records on the total amount of health care waste produced each year that has made my research more complicated to find out the toxicity and the emission of harmful waste into the environment that will eventually contribute to the human toxicity. The Elements that makes the highest composition of a particular emission was also hardly determined.

This is partly a field of my study but with the contribution of those who are interested to help with what ever information avialable will grately help through my research. Please do advice ..

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