By GINNAH MINI – UPNG Journalism student
PRIME Minister James Marape says cancer patients will soon no longer seek medical treatments overseas.
PM Marape indicated this in a media conference recently.
He said formal announcement on this will be made during the Golden Jubilee of Papua New Guinea this year (2025) when PNG celebrates its 50 years of nationhood.
“Something that really warmed my heart this year was the reopening of cancer facilities at Angau Memorial Hospital to assist all cancer patients,” said Mr. Marape.
He said this cancer project remained dormant for six or seven years, but through legislative amendments and increased resource allocation for cancer facilities, it is now opened.
The Prime Minister added that the cancer facilities at the Port Moresby General Hospital have been developed, and he is looking forward to September 16, 2025, to announce to the nation that cancer patients will now be treated in PNG.
“Heart, cancer, and kidney diseases have been greater causes of Papua New Guineans going overseas.
“This year I will be able to announce that heart and cancer facilities in Port Moresby have been completed,” PM Marape said.
He said this significant reopening and announcement will improve access to treatments and will potentially reduce financial burdens on patients who have been seeking treatment abroad.
PM Marape said as PNG steps into 2025, the nation will celebrate its golden jubilee with new infrastructure to treat cardiac diseases and cancer.
He said after so many years, finally there is good news in the health sector of Papua New Guinea for the majority of the patients who have been travelling overseas for advanced medical treatment.
