HEALTH Minister Elias Kapavore has sanctioned an audit for the Morobe Provincial Health Authority (MPHA).
Kapavore said this followed widespread concerns from the general public on the level of services they were receiving at the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae.
“I have sanctioned a full audit on the Morobe PHA Board and the management,” he said.
“I confirmed receiving reports, mainly complaints from patients, relatives and the public on the deterioration of both corporate and clinical governance at Morobe PHA.
“PHA is the result of a government policy to combine hospital services under national government and rural health services under provincial governments under a single entity called the provincial health authority.
“The Minister for Health by law appoints a PHA board, based on recommendations by the governor of the province.
“Nine out of the 10 board members are from the province, including the provincial administrator, while one member is from the Health Department.
“The PHA board is the ultimate authority for PHA, which includes the public hospital and all district health services.
“The PHA board appoints a chief executive officer (CEO) as the administrative head of the PHA in the province.
“The buck stops with the CEO for all administration matters, including finances, HR, budgets, discipline, infrastructure, maintenance, management and patients care.
“By law, the Health Department secretary and Minister for Health do not interfere in the day to day management of the PHA.
“The department can only provide policy and technical advice when requested by the CEO and his or her board.
“The minister only intervenes when there is widespread abuse of processes, mismanagement and breakdown in health services.
“It is the board’s responsibility to deal with the CEO and management if there is mismanagement and breakdown in health services delivery to the public.
“PHA system is a decentralised setup at provincial level, where the powers of control and governance lies with the PHA board, over governance and management.
“The PHA board can direct the CEO when things go wrong in the province.
“The minister comes in when the board is not doing its leadership and governance responsibilities to manage and deal with the
CEO
“Where a PHA board is not performing its duties, then the minister can suspend or terminate the board.
“Therefore, health services in a province, are the responsibility of the PHA management and its board at the provincial level.
“For the case of Morobe PHA, I have now sanctioned a full audit on the corporate and clinical governance with report to be available within seven days.
“We must build a responsive health system that is accountable to our people.
“Lacking in responsiveness is irresponsible and warrants immediate intervention.
“The audit findings with recommendations would also establish the gaps in the current arrangements and begin the process for the standalone Morobe PHA and Angau Hospital.”