PNG Parliament Approves Medical University
Papua New Guinea will soon have its first University of Medicine and Health Sciences — a living testament to how youthful dreams can take root and reshape a nation. Parliament’s unanimous 76–0 vote last Thursday gave life to a vision first imagined over ten years ago by students of the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS).
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| PNG Parliament Approves Medical University |
The story began in 2013, when SMHS students, led by their Student Representative Council, envisioned a separate medical university devoted entirely to health and research. Their proposal faced skepticism, yet they pressed on, organizing campus events, awareness drives, and marches to Parliament in 2014 to deliver their petition.
One of those early voices, Dr. Olmi Wemin Jr., now a Major in the PNG Defence Force, recalled how challenging the journey was. “We stood for an idea when few believed in it,” he said. “Today, that idea has grown beyond us — it belongs to the whole nation.”
Support for the initiative gradually expanded, drawing in the Medical Society of PNG and national leaders, before the government finally included funding for the university in the 2023 budget.
With the bill now passed, PNG is poised to train its future doctors, researchers, and public health professionals through an institution built on resilience and vision.
Plans are being discussed to erect a monument at Savari Triangle to honor the founding advocates — the “Fathers of the Vision.” Their names, including Dr. Wemin and others, will be inscribed as a reminder of what determination can achieve.
“The story of UMH is the story of Papua New Guinea itself,” said Dr. Wemin. “It’s about patience, persistence, and believing that even the smallest spark can light a path for generations.”
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