AGP Executive Report

Gender & SRHR Push: PNG used the Women Deliver 2026 forum in Melbourne to spotlight progress on gender equality, reproductive health and plans to cut gender-based violence, with NCD Governor Powes Parkop and East Sepik Governor Allan Bird presenting strengthened GEWE committee leadership and new long-term GBV strategy. Disaster Response Funding: China handed PNG US$1 million in humanitarian cash, renewing support for disaster recovery and future cooperation. Disability Equity Delivery: PNG launched the Catalysing Disability Equity joint program to move disability inclusion from policy to real implementation, including disability data systems. Child Health Specialist: Paediatric surgeon Professor Paddy Dewan arrived in Port Moresby to review serious cases and begin life-saving operations. Maternal Care in the Highlands: Unggai-Bena received its first St John ambulance, while four new birthing houses opened in Yamuka to bring safer childbirth closer to remote mothers. Ocean Health & Jobs Link: PNG announced a large “no-take” Western Manus Marine Protected Area and broader ocean protection plans, tying conservation to long-term resilience.

Specialist Care Arrives: International paediatric surgeon Professor Paddy Dewan has landed in Papua New Guinea and is reviewing serious child cases in Port Moresby before starting life-saving operations, hosted by Paradise Private Hospital with finance director Janet Sios coordinating the specialist program. Emergency Transport Boost: St John Ambulance has commissioned the first ambulance for Unggai-Bena District in Eastern Highlands, with more services planned as partnerships with district and provincial health authorities take shape. Maternal Health Push: In Eastern Highlands’ Yamuka community, four new birthing houses have opened to cut the long, risky journeys remote mothers make for safe childbirth. Community Health Access: A new birthing house initiative in rural Yamuka follows earlier momentum to expand local maternity support. Faith-Based Learning at Sea: The Doulos Hope floating library is open in Port Moresby, bringing thousands of books and community aid activities to schools and neighbourhoods.

Tree Kangaroo Crunch-a-Thon: PNG’s tree kangaroo is getting a cute spotlight in a US zoo-led social media contest ahead of World Tree Kangaroo Day (May 21), with winners picked by likes, views and judges’ choice. Humanitarian Support: PNG received US$1 million in humanitarian cash from China after recent disasters, with officials highlighting ongoing cooperation. Ocean Protection: PNG unveiled the Western Manus Marine Protected Area—about 200,000 km² of “no-take” ocean—linked to a wider Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves. Health in Focus: A new menstrual health program is rolling out in PNG correctional facilities, starting with women at Bomana Correctional Centre. Workforce & Care: PNG nurse Peter Fore is a finalist for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award, while PNG’s health costing study for Provincial Health Authorities is set to begin in July 2026. Security & Connectivity: RPNGC received two new helicopters from Australia, and Starlink says it will open a PNG office within 12 months of its licence.

Sports & Health Link: Hungry Waratahs’ home win over the Drua is the latest headline, but the bigger health angle is how high-intensity sport keeps spotlighting player welfare and recovery demands. Leadership & Aid: PNG’s humanitarian support from China (US$1m) lands in Port Moresby, while Solomon Islands also enters a new political era with Matthew Wale taking the PM role—both moves that can shape how quickly services and disaster response ramp up. Ocean Protection: PNG announced the Western Manus Marine Protected Area—about 200,000 km² of “no-take” waters—aimed at protecting sharks, turtles, dolphins and more, feeding long-term fisheries resilience. Correctional Health: A new menstrual health program is rolling out at Bomana Correctional Centre via QueenPads and Correctional Services. Nursing Spotlight: PNG nurse Peter Fore is a finalist for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026. Connectivity for Care: Starlink says it will set up a PNG office within 12 months of its licence, supporting rural and health-centre connectivity.

Solomon Islands Leadership Spillover: Matthew Wale has been elected Prime Minister in Honiara after a no-confidence collapse, winning a secret ballot 26–22—another reminder of how fast regional politics can shift. PNG Humanitarian Aid: Papua New Guinea received US$1 million in humanitarian cash support from China, delivered in Port Moresby with disaster condolences and renewed partnership. Ocean Health & Food Security: PNG announced the Western Manus Marine Protected Area—about 200,000 km²—set as “no take” inside the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, aiming to protect sharks, turtles, dolphins and more while safeguarding fisheries. Correctional Health: A new menstrual health program is rolling out at Bomana Correctional Centre via QueenPads and Correctional Services. Remote Care Supplies: Australia delivered medical supplies and oxygen to facilities in Western and Milne Bay, reaching dozens of health sites. Workforce Protection: BSP Life PNG says K3.5 million in survival benefits is being paid to over 1,500 health workers. Health System Planning: NEFC and key agencies will start a major costing study for Provincial Health Authorities in July 2026.

Marine Protection: PNG has announced plans for the Western Manus Marine Protected Area, a strictly “no-take” reserve covering about 200,000 km²—part of a wider Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves—aimed at stopping fishing and other destructive activity while safeguarding sharks, manta rays, turtles, dolphins and seabirds. Workplace Health & Benefits: In the wider region, US firms are cutting employee benefits tied to family planning and parental leave, with TTEC, Deloitte and Zoom among those making changes—raising fresh concerns about how cost pressures hit worker wellbeing. Community Support for Violence Survivors: The French Embassy backed PNG’s SARV survivor response, funding food help, training, and emergency medical support for victims and vulnerable families. Correctional Health: A new menstrual health program is rolling out in Bomana Correctional Centre, with QueenPads partnering with Correctional Services to improve access for women in custody. Drug Crisis Watch: Fiji is flagged as one of the Pacific’s hardest hit by meth, with health systems under strain and calls growing for a coordinated regional strategy.

French Embassy support for SARV survivors: The French Embassy has backed PNG Tribal Foundation’s fight against Sorcery Accusation Related Violence, funding food aid, education support, emergency medical response training, and help for victims at the “Village of Hope.” Ocean protection push: PNG is moving to protect about 200,000 km² of ocean in a “no-take” Western Manus Marine Protected Area, while France backs Pacific ocean efforts at the Melanesian Ocean Summit. Menstrual health in prisons: A new program delivered by QueenPads with Correctional Services is rolling out menstrual health support for women at Bomana Correctional Centre. Meth crisis spotlight: Fiji is flagged as among the Pacific’s hardest hit by meth, with health and justice systems under strain. Health system funding: PNG’s NEFC and agencies are set to start a major health costing study for Provincial Health Authorities in July 2026. Connectivity boost: Starlink says it will open a PNG office within 12 months of its licence, aiming to extend services to rural schools and health centres.

Investment Arbitration Watch: Asia-Pacific investors are increasingly chasing investment treaty arbitration to recover losses from state actions, with at least 126 cases filed against 66 countries and 104 treaties used—though the overall number of claims remains relatively low compared with the scale of investor activity. Ocean & Health Link: PNG is moving to protect a Coral-rich “Marine Highway” in the Melanesian Ocean Corridor, including a strict no-take Western Manus area aimed at safeguarding sharks, dolphins, whales and rays—while France backs the push at the Melanesian Ocean Summit. Women’s Health in Custody: A new menstrual health program is rolling out in PNG correctional settings, with Bomana Correctional Centre among the first beneficiaries. Drug Crisis Pressure: Fiji is flagged as one of the Pacific’s hardest-hit meth countries, with the report warning of spillovers into HIV and overwhelmed courts and health services. PNG Health System Support: Australia delivered medical supplies to remote PNG facilities, including oxygen to Alotau, as recovery and access gaps continue. Local Governance Deal: Cook Islands, Central Province and PNG signed a partnership arrangement covering health, youth, fisheries and wellbeing.

Marine Protection: Papua New Guinea says it will protect about 200,000 km² of ocean in a new “no-take” Western Manus Marine Protected Area under the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, aiming to safeguard sharks, manta rays, turtles, dolphins and seabirds while keeping fish plentiful for coastal communities. Regional Push: France backed the Melanesian Ocean Summit push to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 and strengthen fisheries and maritime security cooperation. Women’s Health in Custody: A new menstrual health program is rolling out in Bomana Correctional Centre, delivered by QueenPads with Correctional Services. Meth & Health Pressure: Fiji is flagged as one of the Pacific’s hardest-hit methamphetamine countries, with links to rising HIV and overwhelmed courts, prisons and health services. Disaster Recovery: Ok Tedi donated K1.25 million to Milne Bay cyclone relief, including medical supplies and clean water. Health System Support: Australia delivered essential medical supplies to remote PNG facilities, including oxygen to Alotau. Governance for Health: PNG’s National Economic and Fiscal Commission and agencies will start a major health costing study for Provincial Health Authorities in July 2026.

PNG Health & Aid: Ok Tedi has donated K1.25m to Milne Bay for Cyclone Maila relief, targeting shelter kits, medical supplies, clean water, food security and restoring basic services. Child Nutrition Watch: A UN Resident Coordinator visited East New Britain’s Gazelle District to check progress under the Child Nutrition and Social Protection project, hearing directly from mothers and Village Health Assistants. Nursing Spotlight: PNG nurse Peter Fore is a Top 10 finalist for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, recognised for building safer, more structured cancer care. Connectivity for Care: Starlink says it will open a PNG office within 12 months of its licence, aiming to extend connectivity to rural schools and health centres. Digital Resilience Risk: A new international report warns what happens when digital systems fail—mobile money, payments and services can all stall at once. Ocean & Health Link: PNG is set to host a Pacific-led Innovation Forum on tuna, while leaders push ocean protection as climate pressure grows.

Child Nutrition Push in East New Britain: The UN Resident Coordinator visited Gazelle District after Cyclone Maila damage to check how the Child Nutrition and Social Protection (CNSP) project is reaching pregnant women and children under 5, hearing directly from mothers and Village Health Assistants about progress in its third year, backed by the World Bank and DFAT. Police Aviation Boost: Australia formally gifted two refurbished Bell 412 helicopters to the RPNGC to strengthen policing and disaster response in remote areas. Nursing Recognition: PNG nurse Peter Fore is a finalist for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, spotlighting frontline oncology nursing at Port Moresby General Hospital. Connectivity for Health and Services: NICTA says Starlink must set up a PNG office within 12 months of its licence, aiming to improve rural and underserved access, including for schools and health centres. Health Funding and Accountability: PNG’s NEFC and key agencies will start a major health costing study for Provincial Health Authorities in July 2026, while calls continue to fully fund and empower the Auditor-General’s Office to protect public money. Cyclone Maila Recovery Support: UPNG Milne Bay students raised over K1,600 for medical supplies and relief, as restoration efforts continue across affected provinces.

Aviation Boost for Policing: Australia has formally gifted two refurbished Bell 412 helicopters to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, aiming to strengthen rapid response in remote, rugged areas for crime deterrence, community safety, and disaster support. Cyclone Maila Recovery: UPNG Milne Bay students raised over K1,600 plus medical and relief supplies for affected communities, while Australia also committed K1.1 million to restore damaged roads and bridges across New Ireland, East New Britain, and Bougainville. Connectivity for Care: Starlink says it will open a PNG office within 12 months, and a Central Province village (Dorobisoro) has already gained full HB internet access—helping aid posts and emergency communication. Health System Funding Moves: NEFC and key agencies will start a major health costing study for Provincial Health Authorities in July 2026, and BSP Life PNG reports K3.5 million in survival payouts reaching 1,500+ health workers. Women’s Health & Support: Laila Foundation expanded free school vision glasses in Port Moresby, and a Mother’s Day charity music festival raised funds for cervical cancer screening at PMGH.

Health Workforce Support: BSP Life PNG says 1,500+ health workers will receive K3.5m in survival benefits under the Wantok Delite product, with the first payout cycle starting for members enrolled in 2023. Remote Care Supply Push: Australia-backed deliveries moved nearly 17 tonnes of medical supplies to Western’s North Fly and added oxygen to Milne Bay’s Alotau, reaching dozens of facilities via RAAF transport and local partners. Emergency Access Spotlight: A new SBS Dateline look at PNG’s “most remote rescue” shows how lack of phone coverage can delay treatment—until a helicopter team spots the patient on a bush path. Digital Health & Connectivity: Starlink is now bringing internet to Dorobisoro village in Central, ending daily climbs for signal and helping clinics and aid posts respond faster. Regional Health Diplomacy: The US–PNG Strategic Partnership Dialogue also flagged digital connectivity and security cooperation, with satellite internet funding announced. Ocean Protection (Health Link): PNG hosted the Melanesian Oceans Summit, with leaders calling for united action on climate-driven marine threats that ultimately affect food and health.

Rural health access gets a boost: Australia-backed deliveries of nearly 17 tonnes of medical supplies reached North Fly in Western Province, with another 2 tonnes (including oxygen) sent to Alotau in Milne Bay—an immediate win for remote clinics. Digital health and emergency response: Starlink is now live in Dorobisoro (Central), ending daily climbs for signal and helping aid posts and health workers respond faster. Child cancer care spotlight: Port Moresby General Hospital staff visited the Southern Philippines Medical Center’s Children Cancer Center model, aiming to strengthen PNG’s only child cancer ward. Mother-focused cancer prevention: The Laila Foundation expanded free prescription glasses to more Port Moresby students, while a Mother’s Day music festival raised funds for cervical cancer screening at PMGH. Infectious disease work underway: ADF and PNGDF teams are running surveys at barracks in Lae and Wewak as part of Exercise No Sik Soljia 26, with daily diagnosis and treatment support. System-level governance: NICTA’s new acting CEO says governance gaps and enforcement failures must be fixed as PNG pushes its digital journey.

In the past 12 hours, PNG’s health workforce and service delivery efforts featured prominently. Higher Education Minister Kinoka Feo reaffirmed government plans to strengthen the health workforce by investing in a new medical university to address critical staff shortages, while also publicly thanking midwives, nurses and other frontline workers during International Day of the Midwife 2026. Health Secretary Pascoe Kase also stressed that workforce training must be aligned to PNG’s highest-priority needs—particularly maternal and child mortality—arguing against “one-size-fits-all” approaches. In parallel, PMGH launched a tetanus immunisation campaign for girls and women aged 15–44, with multiple-dose scheduling and emphasis on preventing maternal and neonatal tetanus.

Several developments in the last 12 hours also point to targeted improvements in specific health services and access. Ok Tedi opened a kidney dialysis facility in Tabubil, described as only the third dialysis centre in PNG, in partnership with the PNG Kidney Foundation, aiming to respond to kidney failure as a major local cause of death. Pacific International Hospital in Lae completed 11 subsidised cataract surgeries after a free eye screening campaign, with the report framing the outreach as a way to reduce avoidable blindness and travel barriers for patients. Separately, BNBM donated care bags to mothers at Port Moresby General Hospital’s maternity ward, focused on hygiene and newborn/maternal comfort items.

Beyond clinical services, the coverage in the last 12 hours links health to infrastructure and resilience. Emergency repairs are underway at the Aita Wet Crossing in Bougainville after Cyclone Maila disrupted access, with the stated goal of reconnecting communities to schools, health facilities and markets while improving future resilience. Connectivity is also highlighted: Deputy PM John Rosso welcomed improved satellite internet access in rural Morobe, saying it can help remote communities reach services such as education and healthcare. While not health-only, these items suggest a broader push to reduce practical barriers to care.

Looking across the wider 7-day window, there is continuity around maternal health and workforce reform. Multiple midwifery-focused items appear, including calls for urgent midwifery workforce reform and recognition of midwives’ roles, alongside the PMGH tetanus campaign and the International Day of the Midwife coverage. There is also supporting background on health outcomes and systems: a report on malaria shows a long-term decline in deaths and attributes improvements to better coordination between surveillance and response teams, and earlier coverage includes telemedicine and rural upskilling themes. However, the most recent 12-hour evidence is sparse on disease surveillance updates—most of the immediate action is concentrated in workforce announcements, immunisation, and service-specific facilities.

In the past 12 hours, PNG’s health coverage has been dominated by workforce and prevention themes, alongside broader pressures that can undermine access to care. At TISA Insurance’s TISA launch, a panel argued that better health outcomes depend on access, trust, and prevention—framing healthcare as something that must be supported beyond hospitals. Health leadership also focused on maternal and child outcomes: PNG Health Secretary Pascoe Kase called for targeted, evidence-based health workforce training aligned to PNG’s highest burdens, especially maternal mortality and deaths of young children. Complementing this, the KASE-linked push for targeted training to tackle maternal deaths reinforces the same direction: training should be shaped to the realities communities face, rather than “one-size-fits-all” approaches. In parallel, the Midwifery sector is pressing for urgent action—Sr Mary Sitaing (Midwifery Society) warned of midwifery workforce shortages and policy delays threatening maternal and newborn services, while also marking International Day of the Midwife with senior government participation.

Recent reporting also highlights how non-health shocks can directly affect health and service delivery. A feature on the fuel crisis risk describes how rising fuel prices are already forcing households into trade-offs (e.g., choosing between school and food), and how higher transport costs can make it harder for humanitarian responders to reach families. This connects to another urgent theme in the wider coverage: tetanus prevention. PMGH launched a tetanus immunization campaign for girls and women aged 15–44, with a multi-dose schedule and emphasis on preventing maternal and neonatal tetanus—an example of prevention-focused programming that directly targets a cause of maternal/newborn illness.

Beyond the last 12 hours, the coverage shows continuity in health-system strengthening and access. PNG’s malaria progress is reiterated through national data: malaria deaths have fallen substantially over time, with improved diagnostics and coordination between surveillance and response teams credited for reductions. There is also continued attention to service delivery in hard-to-reach areas, including Enga Hospital’s first successful aeromedical evacuation from Porgera Mine Medical Centre—framed as proof that referral coordination is working. Eye-care access is also covered through Pacific International Hospital’s 11 successful cataract surgeries in Lae, supported by screening and subsidized treatment, again emphasizing earlier detection and reducing the need for costly travel.

Overall, the most recent evidence is strongest on midwifery/workforce reform and prevention (tetanus, maternal mortality-focused training), with additional signals that fuel-related cost and transport pressures are likely to worsen health access. While there are also notable health-system wins in older material (aeromedical evacuation, malaria decline, cataract outreach), the last 12 hours specifically point to a policy-and-capacity push—trying to align training and services with PNG’s highest maternal and child health risks.