Port Moresby, 24th March 2025 – The NCD Provincial Health Authority (NCDPHA) marked World Tuberculosis (TB) Day with a special event at the Metoreia Urban Health Centre, alongside partners and patients. The Public Health team of NCDPHA took this opportunity to raise awareness about TB, a curable disease for which treatment is available at no cost.

Metoreia Urban Health Centre’s Clinic Manager, HEO Regina Huri, highlighted the increasing prevalence of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB cases. She emphasized the importance of early detection through sputum testing to reduce the impact of the disease.

Dr. Rose Morre, Deputy Director for Public Health (Disease Control Unit), noted that the National Capital District (NCD) leads the country in TB infection rates. She stressed that the sputum test is crucial for early diagnosis and effective treatment. “Early detection is the key to controlling TB,” Dr. Morre stated.

Mr. Ken Wai, Deputy Secretary for Public Health at the National Department of Health (NDoH), commended the staff and community for their dedication in managing TB patients in NCD. He also announced that NDoH would provide NCDPHA with a portable x-ray machine to facilitate early TB screenings at the community level in NCD. “We are committed to supporting NCDPHA in the fight against TB,” Mr. Wai added. He emphasized the goal of eliminating TB in Papua New Guinea by 2030.

Acting CEO of NCDPHA, Dr. Robin Oge, expressed gratitude to Mr. Wai for the donation of the portable x-ray machine and acknowledged the ongoing efforts of Metoreia Urban Health Centre and other clinics in NCD in promoting TB testing. “Patients are encouraged to undergo testing to understand their TB status,” Dr. Oge said. He also thanked the Australian Government and other partners for their continued support of the TB program in NCD.

Looking ahead, NCDPHA is excited about the upcoming construction of a new TB clinic, funded by NCD Governor Powers Parkop, with a total value of K5,000,000. The NCDPHA Board and Management expressed their appreciation to the NCD Governor for his continued support of health services in Port Moresby.