PNG now has additional molecular testing capabilities with another one successfully established at the Goroka General Hospital last week.
This is a significant achievement for the Papua New Guinea National Department of Health (NDoH) and PNG and is part of the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan, to ramp up resources to strengthen the public health laboratory system.
With support from Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL), PNG Institute of Medical Research (IMR).
The Health Facility Standard Branch from NDoH, WHO and other partners, the laboratories now able to perform molecular testing this year include, the Angau Hospital, the Mt Hagen Hospital, and now, Goroka Hospital.
These laboratories now support the existing CPHL and IMR laboratories to ensure molecular testing capacity in all four regions, Southern, Momase, Highlands and New Guinea islands to be able to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health pathogens.
The NGI region will see a laboratory set up in East New Britain’s Nonga Hospital to meet the needs of the region.
The Goroka Hospital Management welcomed the achievement, a milestone for the province in public health preparedness and response. The management thanked the NDoH, NCC, PNGIMR, CPHL and WHO for making this happen.
Source: Papua New Guinea Department of Health