Papua New Guinea (PNG) has officially launched a landmark health partnership with the Australian Government and the World Health Organization (WHO). To mark this significant milestone, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, visited PNG to join national leaders and partners at the launch event. His presence underscores the strong, shared commitment to strengthening PNG’s health system and improving health outcomes for all Papua New Guineans.
The DFAT–WHO–NDoH Partnership 2025–2028, valued at AUD 15 million, was launched at the National Department of Health in Port Moresby. The event brought together key leaders including Health Minister Hon. Elias Kapavore, WHO Regional Director Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Representative for PNG Dr Sevil Huseynova, and Australian High Commissioner His Excellency Mr. Ewen McDonald. This tripartite initiative is strategically aligned with Papua New Guinea’s National Health Plan 2021–2030 and WHO’s Country Cooperation Strategy 2024–2028, ensuring that international support is firmly rooted in national priorities.
The partnership focuses on strengthening primary health care, expanding the health workforce, improving access to essential medicines, and supporting maternal and child health services. It also places strong emphasis on gender equality, disability inclusion, and climate resilience, while reinforcing health security through recent commitments such as Australia’s AUD 5 million support for polio preparedness and response, and the Government of PNG’s PGK 13 million allocation to bolster routine immunization and outbreak response.
Dr Piukala commended Minister Kapavore for his leadership, including recent milestones such as the national ban on e-cigarettes, the country’s first successful kidney transplant, and WHO’s validation of PNG eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. Dr Piukala praised the Government’s bold vision of ensuring that “a health facility is within one hour walk, one hour by boat, one hour by plane,” reflecting a strong commitment to universal health coverage.
This new phase builds on a solid foundation of collaboration and represents a shift toward a more integrated, tripartite model of cooperation. It reaffirms the shared belief that resilient, inclusive, and accessible health systems are essential for national development and the well-being of every Papua New Guinean.
The partnership also aligns with WHO’s regional vision, “Weaving Health for All,” which draws on the cultural symbolism of mat weaving to represent collective action and shared responsibility. Just as each strand of pandanus contributes to a strong, unified mat, the partnership between DFAT, WHO, and PNG brings together diverse strengths to build a resilient, inclusive health system. Together, they are weaving a future where every Papua New Guinean—no matter where they live—can access the care they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives.