National Capital District (NCD) Governor Powes Parkop has welcomed the recommendation by the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) Board to relocate the Japanese-funded Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) building project from PMGH to Gerehu General Hospital.
The project, funded under Japanese aid through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was originally intended to strengthen maternal and child health services at PMGH. However, due to severe congestion, limited space, and the hospital’s transition to a full national referral and teaching hospital (Level 6 status), the Board recommended that the new facility be established instead at Gerehu, which is being developed into a Level
4 general hospital.
Governor Parkop clarified that the PMGH Board did not reject JICA’s offer, contrary to claims made by Dr. Glen Mola, a senior obstetrician. “Contrary to Dr Mola’s claims, the Board of Port Moresby General Hospital never rejected the JICA proposal. Their letter to JICA is self-explanatory. It’s a Board decision and not that of CEO Dr. Paki Molumi,” Parkop said.
He emphasized that the Board’s recommendation to relocate the facility to Gerehu Hospital was a sound and logical decision. “In my view, it’s a very sound and reasonable decision to recommend JICA to build the facility at Gerehu Hospital as part of the Level 4 hospital there,” Parkop said.
Parkop explained that the PMGH, now operating as a Level 6 hospital, must
transition its infrastructure to focus solely on specialized referrals and teaching, rather than serving direct admissions like maternity and child health cases. “They did not reject the offer; they proposed instead that the capacity be built for the NCD Provincial Health Authority (NCDPHA), which is a very good and logical proposal,” he stated.
The Governor noted that under the health system’s new structure, PMGH would retain and upgrade its women and children’s hospital facilities to handle referral cases from other hospitals, aligning with its national role. Meanwhile, Gerehu General Hospital, with more available land and growing infrastructure, is ideally positioned to handle primary maternity and child health services for the city’s rapidly growing population.
The relocation was fully supported by key stakeholders, including JICA, the National
Department of Health, and PMGH management, after a thorough review. JICA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Papua New Guinea and expressed willingness to proceed with the project at Gerehu.
Parkop stressed that this decision would better serve the health needs of NCD residents and contribute to easing the burden on PMGH. “This is a forward-looking move that will ensure both hospitals can effectively fulfill their mandates, improving healthcare delivery for everyone,” he said.
Construction timelines and further details on the facility’s development at Gerehu Hospital are expected to be announced soon.