National Health Plan 2011 - 2020.

The National Health Plan 2011 - 2020 is nationwide sectoral document. It is the first of four ten-year plans designed to achieve Health Vision 2050 and the PNG Development Strategic Plan 2010 –2030. Consequently, its purpose is to define the policy directions and priority areas for investment within the sector, with particular attention to improvement of primary health care for the rural majority and urban disadvantaged. The priority strategy of the Plan is ‘back to basics’, with rehabilitation of the foundations of the primary health care system, focusing on improving maternal health and child survival, and reducing the burden of communicable diseases. This will be enhanced through the implementation in the next ten years of the Provincial Health Authority reforms. This is what was resumed in the Vision at the basis of the Policy of 'A healthy and prosperous nation that upholds human rights and our Christian and traditional values, and ensures: affordable, accessible, equitable, and quality health services for all citizens'. The consequent mission will be 'Improve, transform, and provide quality health services through innovative approaches supporting primary health care and health system development, and good governance at all levels'.
To achieve the overall goal, the document focuses on eight Key Result Areas outlined along with related objectives and strategies, concerning all of the levels of health care, and all of those involved. They are (i) improve service delivery; (ii) strengthen partnership and coordination with Stakeholders; (iii) strengthen health systems; (iv) improve child survival; (v) improve maternal health; (vi) reduce the burden of communicable diseases; (vii) promote healthy lifestyles; and (viii) improve preparedness for disease outbreaks and emerging population health issues.
To help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, the Government envisages a reduction in children under the age of five years trough (i) promotion of exclusive breast feeding; (ii) ensuring children in this age group have access to supplementary feeding when and where they require it; (iii) increasing access for mothers and children to micro-nutrient supplementation; (iv) increasing the number of households that have access to safe drinking water, and effective waste disposal and sanitation.
A more sustainable and productive agriculture is suggested in the document by the establishment of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) with relevant major mining and agriculture ventures.
The conditions of poverty will be alleviated in rural areas also with an improvement in health services, for which the Plan provides (i) increasing the number of outreach services provided in rural areas; (ii) increasing the number of facilities in rural areas that have essential equipment; (iii) implementation of 100% kit system for rural facilities until 2015; and (iv) reviewing and improvement of relevant legislation to enhance the management and control of rural water supplies
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the document seeks for improving capacity and preparedness of the health sector to address the impacts of climate change through (i) a cross-sectoral collaboration and (ii) ensuring that every health facility has a Disaster Preparedness Plan, including issues associated with climate change.
As for the Governance, improved leadership, governance, and management at all levels of the health system are considered among the conditions for success. Among the main interventions are included (i) ensure all partners and stakeholders develop implementation plans in line with the National Health Plan for their legislative compliance and reporting obligations; (ii) review and strengthen a performance monitoring and evaluation framework, including accountability for use of funds; (iii) planning, budgets, expenditure, and management decisions need to be evidence-based and linked to health priorities; and (iv) initiate and implement the health sector reforms, including consideration of a Health Service Commission and a Health Endowment Fund.