ESPHA to improve after WHO visit

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Yadav, WHO Country Manager and ESPHA CEO listening to a community expressing himself at Passam Aid Post, Wewak Rural LLG, Wewak district. *(NBC News)*

East Sepik Provincial Health Authority (ESPHA) sees room for improvement after a joint learning visit aimed at understanding challenges faced by rural facilities and how to help improve Public Health.

From Tuesday 13th to Thursday 15th, the East Sepik Provincial Health Authority facilitated a 3-day joint partnership visit with a high-level delegation led by WHO Representative to Papua New Guinea Dr Rajendra Prasad Yadav, with officials from NDoH, UNICEF, UNAIDS, PATH and DFAT.

The team visited Level 4 Maprik District Hospital, Maprik Secondary School, Level 2 Naramko Health Centre and Kombikum 2 village on Tuesday 13th, and Huliwa Aid Post, Sassoya Level 3 Health Centre, Tumarau Level 3 Sub Health Centre and Passam Aid Post over the next two days.

Group photo at Tumarau health centre, Turubu LLG Wewak district *(NBC News)*

During a debrief at Village Inn Hotel in Wewak, Manager for the Expanded Program on Immunization at the National Department of Health Martha Pogo called on the Provincial Health Authority to improve monitoring. " Management here when you make budget, allocate some funds for monitoring at least for a quarter or month to visit the lower-level facilities" Pogo said.

She said the team found gaps that need ongoing monitoring. "For Immunization, the SOP's, the guidelines, the registers, the Immunization supply chain standards all updated and sent outside circular after Circular, and it is sad that our facilities are practicing the Old outdated" Pogo said.

ESPHA Chief Executive Officer Mathew Kaluvia thanked the WHO-led team for the learning visit and acknowledged the gaps identified. "It used to be quarterly basis that we started routine Immunization and we made that resolution in 2024" Kaluvia said. " Sight visit, supervision, monitoring and on-sight training must be on monthly basis and East Sepik is going to do that " he said.

" I would want this team to come back again same time next year to go back and visit those areas again" Kaluvia said. " I can assure you that we will improve" he added.

Board Chairman Pastor Max Manimbi said such visits are vital for accountability. "When you operate in a place for a long time, you'll have blinds spots" Manimbi said. "You'll keep seeing the same thing and you'll think it is normal" he said. "It takes another pair of eyes to come and open a new perspective, monitoring and Management is very vital" Manimbi said. He concluded by saying, "The more you come, we keep it real and it's good for us".