THE National Volunteer Service (NVS) is in early discussions with the Southern Highlands Provincial Health Authority (SHPHA) to form a strategic partnership aimed at recruiting and deploying health workers across the province.
The move aligns with the National Executive Council’s (NEC) Decision 335 of 2025, which mandates NVS to recruit 900 volunteers by the end of 2026 and a further 2,900 by 2027.
“If formalized, the partnership would see NVS and SHPHA collaborate to identify priority health service gaps in rural and remote areas in Southern Highlands Province to place health workers,” said Ms Julie Raka, NVS Director Public Relations & Marketing.
Ms Raka said that the proposed collaboration reflects the Government’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare delivery through community-based approaches.
Southern Highlands Provincial Health Authority (SHPHA) CEO, Dr Joseph Birisi welcomed the proposal, describing it as a timely and strategic move.
Dr Birisi added that the partnership would complement the recent graduation of students from the Mendi School of Nursing, many of whom are trained as health workers.
“Health Workers play a critical role in delivering basic healthcare, health education, and disease prevention programs and their deployment will significantly enhance our capacity to reach communities that currently face barriers to accessing health services which makes this partnership very important,” Dr Birisi said.
“They are an essential link between communities and the formal health system and by equipping health workers with the right training and support, the partnership would greatly improve maternal and child health, strengthen immunization coverage, and promote awareness of communicable and non-communicable diseases.”
The integration of health workers into provincial health strategies is expected to reduce the burden on hospitals and clinics, while empowering communities to take ownership of their health outcomes.
Dr Birisi added that with the country facing challenges such as limited resources, workforce shortages, and geographic barriers, initiatives like this highlight the importance of innovative, community-centered solutions.
The National Volunteer Service will continue its strategic visits in the Highlands Region to Hela and Western Highlands Provinces respectively in the coming weeks.
The National Volunteer Service is a Government Agency under the Ministry of Defence that is mandated to recruit, train and place volunteers in rural communities throughout Papua New Guinea.