By ESWIN PLESIO
PAPUA New Guinea’s nursing body has called on the Government to create more nursing positions, warning that hundreds of qualified graduates remain unemployed despite increasing demand for healthcare services across the country.
Speaking on the final day (Thursday, 30th July),of the National Nursing Symposium at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Nurses Association (PNGNA) President Fredrick Kebai said it was concerning that many trained nurses were unable to find work while rural communities continued to face severe shortages of healthcare workers.
Mr Kebai said the country’s growing population meant demand for health services was increasing every year, making it difficult to understand why qualified nurses were still waiting for employment.
“Our population is increasing, yet many qualified nurses remain unemployed while people in rural communities continue to struggle to access healthcare,” he said.
“What is the purpose of training nurses if we cannot absorb them into the health system?”
He said unemployed graduates risk losing valuable clinical skills the longer they remain out of the workforce, adding that this could also discourage young people from pursuing nursing as a career.
Mr Kebai urged the Government to establish more nursing positions in hospitals, health centres and rural clinics to strengthen the country’s health system and improve access to healthcare services.
He said employing more nurses would not only reduce unemployment among graduates but also help ease staff shortages in many provinces, particularly in remote and underserved communities.
Mr Kebai stressed that investing in the nursing workforce was essential to improving patient care and achieving better health outcomes for Papua New Guinea.
He said the association would continue advocating for policies that support both nursing graduates and the broader healthcare system, including reforms to education, continuous professional development and employment opportunities.
The PNGNA President said ensuring qualified nurses were given the opportunity to serve was critical to meeting the country’s current and future healthcare needs.