A remote health facility upgrade supported by Australia’s Incentive Fund is improving access to essential and emergency care in Middle Fly District, Western Province.
Bosset Health Centre has been upgraded to a level 3 health centre, increasing service delivery and support for the population catchment of 14,000 people. The health centre also serves as a referral centre for patients from Boboa and Obo Health Centres, with only critical cases referred to Kiunga General Hospital.
The Western Province Health Steering Committee committed to upgrading the then Bosset Sub-Health Centre in 2012 to better serve the growing population of Bosset and the surrounding catchment areas. Originally established in the 1960s, the facility had deteriorated over time and no longer met community needs. Patients often travelled up to eight hours to Kiunga General Hospital to receive treatment.
The Catholic Church Health Services Diocese of Daru-Kiunga successfully applied for a PGK 16.8 million Incentive Fund grant to upgrade the health facility.
The upgrade included: inpatient and outpatient departments; emergency, observation and treatment rooms; a laboratory; a minor operating theatre; a dental clinic; general, malnutrition and tuberculosis (TB)and HIV wards; a maternity wing; and staff housing. The design aligns with Papua New Guinea’s National Minimum Standards for District Health Services, incorporating modifications to suit the region’s needs.
The upgrade also included essential medical equipment and children with pneumonia and similar conditions now receive life-saving care. The new delivery wards have running water, showers, proper delivery beds and mattresses, offering dignity and comfort to mothers and newborns.
Nurse and midwife, Dorothy Sepa, has worked at the health centre for three years and has witnessed significant improvements since its upgrade to a level 3 facility.
“The old facility lacked basic tools like oxygen concentrators and pulse oximeters, and patients with severe respiratory issues often succumbed. Many who needed oxygen didn’t survive,” Dorothy recalled.
Bosset Health Centre also now functions as a TB microscopic site, diagnosing TB on-site and treating both drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). A dedicated TB nurse oversees patient care and follow-ups. Outreach programs, supported by partners like World Vision, are helping to extend health care access to TB treatment, immunisations and health education.
While challenges persist, the health centre’s upgrade is saving lives. The successful collaboration between the Catholic Church Health Services Diocese of Daru-Kiunga, the Western Province Health Steering Committee and the Incentive Fund demonstrates that access to and delivery of health care services in remote communities can be strengthened.
