PLANS are in place to have Papua New Guinea Family Health Association (PNGFHA) to identify and service urban and rural health facilities in East New Britain (ENB).
After seven years, PNGFHA recently opened its office in Kokopo to help tackle rising cases of violence against women and girls in ENB.
Nonga General Hospital Acting Director Curative Health Services Dr Raymond Paivut announced this last Friday during the Gender Based Violence (GBV) campaign program in Kokopo.
Dr Paivut said many social issues such as child abuse, sexual harassment and violence against women are rising as reported in the media and it is timely for PNGFHA to be active and include their services to selected health facilities situated around the province.
He said ENB Provincial Health Authority only has one FHA unit in the province at Nonga that dealt with GBV related issues and manned by one staff since 2015.
“We do not know what is happening in the four districts and only deal with cases referred to the Nonga hospital but we have plans to expand,” he said.
The current FHA unit provides medical first aid to injuries or survivors and deal with counselling physically and psychologically but is lacking data from the districts.
Dr Paivut said health facilities have been identified to run FHA services with established family support centres.
They are Kerevat Rural hospital in the Gazelle district, Warangoi and Palmalmal rural hospitals in Pomio district, Rabaul urban clinic in the Rabaul district and St Mary’s Vunapope hospital and Butuwin urban clinic in the Kokopo district.
“We have to identify the victims and support their needs such as shelter and access to treatment and counselling but at the moment we do not have a proper pathway,” he said.
Dr Paivut said for this to be successful, more trainings must be conducted and more awareness to schools and communities with more funding support to ENBPHA to see this through.