By DALCY LULUA
The National Department of Health has announced a major policy shift aimed at transforming Papua New Guinea’s health system from a treatment-based model to one that emphasizes prevention, community ownership, and healthier living.
In Circular Instruction No. 119/2025, dated October 8, 2025, Acting Secretary for Health Ken Wai directed Provincial Health Authorities (PHAs), Catholic Health Services, Christian Health Services, and senior executive managers within the Department to take immediate steps to promote the new approach under the theme “Healthy Communities, Healthy Mindset.”
Mr Wai said that for the past 50 years since Independence, PNG’s health system has primarily focused on curative care—treating people after they fall ill—rather than on preventing sickness in the first place. While this approach has saved many lives, he said it has limited communities’ sense of ownership over their own health outcomes.
“Unless we change course, we risk losing another generation to diseases that could have been prevented through awareness, behavior change, and community action,” Mr. Wai said in the circular.
He said the consequences of this curative focus are now
clear, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension rising sharply across the country, while preventable illnesses continue to persist.
As PNG marks 50 years of Independence, the Acting Secretary said this milestone presents an opportunity to “reset our approach” and shift national attention from hospitals to healthier communities where individuals, families and villages take ownership of their wellbeing.
He said the new direction calls for a whole-of-society approach where health becomes everyone’s business-not just the responsibility of doctors and nurses, but also of families, schools, churches, and communities.
Under this renewed focus, the department will promote:
- Healthy schools-integrating health education, hygiene and nutrition into school activities.
- Healthy villages and communities-empowering people to maintain clean environments, prevent disease, and improve hygiene.
- Healthy markets ensuring food safety and sanitation through proper management and community awareness.
- Healthy offices, towns and cities encouraging wellness and health-conscious habits in workplaces and urban settings.
Mr Wai urged all government sector agencies, PHAs, and
church-run health services to take leadership in working closely with local communities, ward leaders, schools and churches to deliver effective health education, hygiene promotion, disease prevention, and community mobilization.
He said that real change would only come when Papua New Guineans take responsibility for their own health and lifestyle choices.
“Our shared target is ambitious but achievable to increase Papua New Guinea’s life expectancy from 66 to 75 years by 2050,” he said. “This will only be realized through sustained investment in prevention, education and the empowerment of our people.”
The Acting Secretary concluded his directive with a call for unity and renewed commitment from all sectors of society.
“Let this become the motto that guides our next era of health reform: ‘Healthy Communities, Healthy Mindset.’ Together, let us make this vision a reality,” Mr Wai said.