By RAYMOND POPNA, UPNG Journalism Student
THE University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and Pacific International Hospital (PIH) have formalised a three-year healthcare partnership aimed at improving access to medical services for students and staff.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed on June of this year, was formally confirmed earlier this week, paving the way for a structured referral system between the UPNG Uni Clinic and PIH.
The partnership is expected to reduce some of the challenges students and staff face when seeking medical care outside the university, including transport costs, long travel times and extended waiting periods.
UPNG Director of Health Services Dr Christopher Kinipi said the agreement would provide a faster and more affordable pathway to medical treatment.
“This partnership will save both time and money for our students and staff while ensuring they have access to quality healthcare through a clear referral system,” Dr Kinipi said.
Under the arrangement, patients requiring services unavailable at the Uni Clinic will be referred directly to PIH.
Dr Kinipi said the partnership would particularly benefit those requiring specialist services, including hearing and vision care, diagnostic services and urgent medical attention.
He described the agreement as a significant milestone for UPNG, noting that the university had been working to establish an affordable healthcare partnership after previous attempts proved too costly and difficult to implement.
Dr Kinipi said the MoU demonstrated UPNG’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of its students and staff.
He also thanked PIH for collaborating with the university to make the partnership possible.
The three-year agreement is expected to strengthen healthcare support across the UPNG community and improve access to timely medical services.