Are you visiting as a tourist? Or you'll be settling in for some time, because of your career? Nevertheless, it might just be important to you to have an in-depth knowledge of the area, and what the healthcare or medical facilities are like in Port Moresby.
Rest assured, Hausples has another comprehensive guide with a list of medical facilities you should know about.
To begin with, Papua New Guinea, compared to other south pacific islands, is somewhat isolated and relatively underdeveloped in terms of services and facilities, including transportation, tourism and at least healthcare. Despite this, there is still a considerable expatriate population of approximately a little over 25,000 to date.
Healthcare system
From an outside perspective, the healthcare infrastructure in PNG embodies a low standard, and is quite frankly problematic compared to many Western cultures. Even though the country has received tons of support from overseas in the past decade, it still has a hard time managing the resurgence and prevalence of preventable diseases like Malaria, Typhoid, TB, Cholera and HIV/AIDS.
Strangely enough, where medical facilities have become available and accessible, under-funding emerges as another significant sweat on the forehead which ominously results in scarce medical resources - alongside limited medical personnel and a scanty supply chain.
Regardless, sufficient emergency services can still be accessed with high integrity for medical care within major cities like Port Moresby and Lae.
Occasionally, if the situation cries for special medical treatment, then airlifts down south are available, and may be the only option for expatriates.
Malaria and Tuberculosis are the common types of illnesses in Papua New Guinea, so it's highly important to be well vaccinated before you set foot in the country. Most often than not, an effortless access to basic medication can be quite tricky and demanding, so it's wise to be fully stocked with personal prescription medicines.
Reducing risk is an entirely sensible alternative, which is why every visitor is required to protect themselves with relevant health or travel insurance.
We understand that healthcare is - by far - a major concern among those who are moving abroad, and since the birth of COVID-19, so much emphasis has been placed on the type of medical facility available, and whether or not they have the capability to deal with not just coronavirus, but also other major health issues that expatriates may be vulnerable to contracting.
Hospitals and medical clinics in Port Moresby:
Port Moresby General Hospital (POMGEN) |
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Location |
3 Mile, Korobosea, Port Moresby |
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Type |
Public hospitality |
|
Specialty |
General |
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Opening hours |
Monday to Sunday, 24/7 |
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Contact |
(+675) 324 8200 |
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Description |
Port Moresby General Hospital is the major referral and teaching hospital in Papua New Guinea. It is also a centre for AIDS treatment in Papua New Guinea, one of only a few facilities in the country equipped to treat HIV/AIDS and also houses a hyperbaric recompression chamber for diving emergencies. The hospital is the only hospital in the country to have a CT scanner, and the expense of travel to the capital means that not all of the population can take advantage of the facilities offered by the hospital. |
Location |
3 Mile, Taurama Road, Port Moresby |
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Type |
General & Specialist Private Healthcare provider |
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Specialty |
General & Specialist |
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Opening hours |
Monday to Sunday, 24/7 |
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Contact |
(+675) 325 6022 |
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Description |
Paradise Private Hospital is a general and specialist private health care provider with 14 permanent medical professionals and 10 visiting specialists providing locum services to cover our 24-hour operations. The Hospital is a modern 40 bed facility and has Obstetric, Surgical, Pediatric and Adult medical care facilities with 9 doctors’ consulting rooms, Laboratory, X-ray, Ultrasound Scan Imaging Services and Pharmacy. |
Location |
3 Mile, Taurama Road, Port Moresby |
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Type |
Private |
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Specialty |
Specialist & Private |
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Opening hours |
Monday to Sunday, 24/7 |
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Contact |
(+675) 7998 8000 |
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Description |
Established in 1997 as PNG Diagnostic Centre, PIH has grown to become the largest private hospital in PNG offering expertise in more than 20 clinical specialties. |
Location |
Turua Avenue, Angau Drive, Port Moresby |
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Type |
Clinic |
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Specialty |
Specialist |
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Opening hours |
Monday to Sunday, 24/7 |
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Contact |
(+675) 323 7730 |
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Description |
2K Medical Centre provides 24 hour medical service. Family and internal medicine, children's diseases, emergency, laboratory and x-ray examinations. |
Location |
Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, Harbour City Precinct, Konedobu, Port Moresby |
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Type |
Healthcare provider |
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Specialty |
Privacy and emergency healthcare |
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Opening hours |
Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 5:30pm | Saturdays: 9am - 1pm | Closed on Sundays |
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Contact |
(+675) 321 0202 | (+675) 321 0187 | (+675) 7459 7209 |
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Description |
Aspen Medical is an Australian-owned, multi award-winning, global provider of healthcare solutions. We have been providing world-class primary and emergency healthcare services in Australia and the Pacific since 2003 including the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Fiji and PNG. In 2010, Aspen Medical was contracted by the Australian Government’s AusAID to assist the Cholera Emergency Response Committee for the Western Province of PNG. We also have operations in the US, the UK, the Gulf region and Africa. |
Location |
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Type |
General |
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Specialty |
Specialists and general consultations |
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Opening hours |
24/7 |
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Contact |
(+675) 763 30 580 |
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Description |
CSMC offers services in General and Specialists Consultation. Our Specialists consultations include Internal Medicine, Cardiac Care, General & Cardiothoracic Surgery, Orthopaedic surgery, Obstetric and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) Surgery, Molecular Genetics (DNA Tests), Dermatology, Haematology & Pathology and Pain Medicine. |
Location |
Soare Street, Gordons, Port Moresby |
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Type |
Private |
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Specialty |
Private healthcare |
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Opening hours |
Mon - Fri: 8am - 5pm | Sat. Sun: 8am - 1pm |
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Contact |
(+675) 323 2599 |
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Description |
Nanga Medical Center is a small practice dedicated to providing its clients with a personalised, professional, and quality healthcare across a wide range of medical and support services. |
Final Words
Relocating to Papua New Guinea can be just as exciting, as well as challenging. After all has been said and done, only visiting for a few days and settling in because your job requires it are two completely different experiences.
While it may be something new to embrace rich, natural environments, novel cultures and exploring all possibilities in a multi-culturally diverse country, you still have to journey upon some brave, sensible decisions as to how you will fare after you've made yourself at home. And of these decisions is to learn as much as you can about the healthcare system of the host country, how to access it, and what it will mean for you once you fall ill.
Moreover, if there’s one area that is crucial but easily overlooked when you are preparing for your move, it’s healthcare. While the healthcare systems in different countries vary a lot, the key differences between private healthcare facilities and their public counterparts remain universal, and Papua New Guinea is no different.