New Hall opens as Push for New PNG Medical University Gains Momentum
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the country has taken an important step toward establishing its own medical university following the opening of a new multipurpose hall at the University of Papua New Guinea’s (UPNG) School of Medicine and Health Sciences recenlty.
The facility was launched as the existing medical school transitions into the proposed University of Medicine and Health Sciences, enabled by legislation passed in Parliament during the October 2025 sitting. Marape said the milestone was small in scale but significant in meaning, signalling the nation’s intention to strengthen its health workforce.
 |
| New Hall opens as Push for New PNG Medical University Gains Momentum [Photo supplied] |
He acknowledged UPNG Chancellor Sir Robert Igara and Executive Dean Prof. Nakapi Tefuarani for pursuing the long-standing goal of expanding medical education, saying their work demonstrated what collaboration could achieve. “This moment reminds us of what can be done if we work together,” Marape said.
The Prime Minister urged UPNG to support the transition, noting that the country required a standalone medical university to address the severe shortage of doctors. He highlighted that PNG’s doctor-to-patient ratio remained among the lowest globally and called for urgent action to boost training capacity.
Marape said his government was committed to making the new institution fully operational before the next decade, stressing that the nation needed at least 10,000 medical professionals to match global benchmarks. He said an increase in enrolment and recruitment would be essential as the new university takes shape.
He added that separating the medical school from UPNG would allow it to work closely with the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH), given their shared location and professional ties. He said plans were underway to elevate PMGH to Level 7 status.
“Our country needs its own medical university,” Marape said. “Before we step into the 2030s, this campus must be fully functional to meet the health needs of our people going forward.”
Also check out
Post a Comment