ENBPHA concludes Public Finance Management rollout training in Pomio

The East New Britain Provincial Health Authority [ENBPHA] has completed its Public Finance Management training for its health workers serving in the Pomio district.

Held at Palmalmal station, the four-day training is part of the ENBPHA’s continued efforts to strengthen financial governance and accountability.

The training targeted health workers [Officer in Charge, Sister in Charge and Clerks] who are involved in managing or handling public funds at the district level.

The Public Finance Management guidelines include eleven recently endorsed Public Finance Management policies and procedures, including cash advance, procurement, fraud, and risk management, among others.

These policies were designed to enhance compliance, efficiency, and transparency in financial practices across all levels of the health system.

Health Services Improvement Program [HSIP] Officer Emmanuel Sialis described the value of the training.

“This PFM training held here in Pomio district sums up the PFM rollout for the province. With the support of the PNG Australia Transition to Health Program, we successfully rolled out this training in four districts.

"Our frontline health workers are trained clinicians, and they often lack the financial skills to manage their day-to-day operation needs, which is an important aspect of healthcare delivery.

"That’s why we are working closely with partners to help our staff understand key financial process and policies, including delegation of authority, procurement, fraud prevention, internal audit, and risk management, so that they would be in a better position to access funding for their respective health facilities.’’

“This training is a critical step in ensuring that our health workers serving in rural areas are fully equipped with the knowledge and tools to manage public funds responsibly and transparently,” Sailis said.

The Public Finance Management rollout is part of the Corrective Action Plan [CAP] developed with support from the Australian Government through the PNG Australia Transition to Health [PATH], and Deloitte, following a review of ENBPHA’s financial systems.

Key outcomes included increased confidence in financial accountability, awareness of operational policies, and readiness to implement standardized procedures.

The training also emphasized continuous monitoring, supportive supervision, and digital reporting pathways to strengthen transparency and resource management.