Reflections of a Health Worker, Youth. Hopes for her country: PNG

Papua New Guinea celebrated its 48th Independence Day this September, 2023. Only two years away from its jubilee anniversary and when I think of it, it is quite an honour to be living in this part of the timeline. I am practically living in my country’s history. 

Like any country in its youth, we have a lot to learn even though we have come a long way. I have lived all my life in my beloved Papua New Guinea and understand the many facets that limit us of opportunities to be better. For instance, I am today, years old, and still cannot remember a time in history when the phrase “under resourced health sector” was NOT an understatement. 

For the first three years after residency, I practised as a hospital Pharmacist, which made me even more aware of the scarcity of this vital service. In the hospital, you can attest to a lack of and maintenance of basic health equipment; staff shortage; expertise in specific fields, and limitations of drug sourcing. This included drugs for cancer, kidney failure and liver diseases - medicines that are expensive and difficult to source. 

Then pharmacy students almost tasting the sulphuric earth thrown from Mt Tavurvur, a volcano that erupted in 1994 in East New Britain Province. On our health facility surveys, we would go exploring landmarks after visiting the clinics.

When I was still in school at the medical faculty, I volunteered to participate in three (3) nationwide surveys on the availability of essential medicines, in health care facilities across PNG. The surveys exposed challenges for the rural people, who make up 80% of our total population. They must overcome geographical terrain, both land or sea and poor transport infrastructure to get to the nearest health facility. The same applies to how the medical supplies arrive at the health facility, in treacherous conditions. Above all, for the people’s sake, it is imperative that medicines do get to the health centre on time, as frequently as needed.  

In the community, where I worked as a TB treatment Support Supervisor with World Vision PNG, I recognised the tremendous effort that all stakeholders must contribute in controlling the spread of this infectious disease. This included the community volunteers, the clinicians, service providers, and donor agencies in partnership with the health department. Even the importance of recognising public health research. Through this role, I gathered that, TB is related to the socio economics of a given area. It thrives in communities that are densely populated and are somewhat poverty stricken. If you cannot find enough healthy foods to sustain your diet, you make your body very susceptible to diseases like TB. When the home is overcrowded, it spreads quickly and easily. This is the kind of environment that are present in the settlements within our largest cities, which are also rapidly expanding. 

Another beautiful picnic island called Makadea. There are only several clinics off the shores of mainland East New Britain.

I now work for City Pharmacy Limited Group as a Pharmacist/Manager. Retail pharmacy is very demanding because it is business oriented. But it is also highly rewarding. I get to be a primary point of health care for the community and villages within the vicinity of my shop, being a trusted advisor for patient medication and product recommendation. A privilege I didn’t get to have at the hospital or, in my other line of work. City Pharmacy Limited is the largest retail company in PNG, and in business, this means the medicines I sell are relatively cheaper than other pharmaceutical stores. Therefore, when stocks of essential drugs in the health centres are running low, or patients need their refills, I can sell medicines at a fair price, one which is affordable to the average Papua New Guinean. 

Considering the glaring setbacks, our national Health Workers are incredibly resilient and versatile. They make do with the limited resources we have and try their best to improvise. But so are the general population. We work considerably hard for the things that do not come easy for us, and when I think of that, my heart swells with pride. 

Interviewing a mother on family planning methods at a Health centre in Vanimo, Sandaun Province, on another nationwide health facility survey.

I take immense pride in my work and although it is deeply satisfying, I also miss the intellectual challenge of science. In this regard, during a time when I was overcoming personal challenges as a youth, I was introduced to computer code by someone I knew. I completely fell in love with writing code, and this has influenced my choice for graduate study. But it is also my responsibilities as a health worker, coupled with tremendous third world health challenges; my love for the sciences, and an enduring spirit of inquiry that has propelled a passion for merging health and technology.

I am genuinely excited about the prospects of bridging the large disparities in health care in PNG through the application of Digital Health. In the future, I want to use research in Bioinformatics which has broad applications for diagnosing and treating diseases and preventing their spread; and in developing public health strategies and new drugs. 

In my Dispensary at City Pharmacy Harbour City, Port Moresby.

When I was 12, I read a book titled,” Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry” by Mildred D Taylor. It followed the tale of an African American girl called Cassie, set in Mississippi in the 1930’s. She did not fully understand the racial tensions that her family and other black people had to endure. One day her grandmother told her something that I never forget from that novel, “We have no choice of what colour we’re born, or who our parents are or whether we’re rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we’re here.” That immediately resonated with me, and I have drawn from its truth, many times in the hardships of being a youth and the experiences we face as a nation.  

My fear is that our youth may continue to be comfortable with the struggles we face. That is why creating and facilitating spaces for youth to exercise their ideas and leadership is a vital step in overcoming this notion. If we do the much needed work now, we can be able to change the trajectory of progress for a healthy, sustainable and prosperous PNG, essentially, through this generation. The vision that our forefathers, like Sana, declared when we gained independence from Australia. That we worked twice as hard and learn to stand on our own two feet. 

Celebrating Independence Day this year.

We are a very proud indigenous people and draw enormous strength from our culture and heritage, with deep ties to our land. We are the most linguistically diverse nation in the world as we speak over 800 languages, over thousands of tribes, and yet, we remain united. And for most of us, it is primarily our faith that sustains us in all that we do.  

I want to conclude by saying that being Pacific Islander has always been synonymous with swaying palms, coral reefs and beautifully toned skin. But we are so much more and have plenty to offer. I hope that PAYA will only grow to strengthen our shared values as one Melanesia, and our relationships and understanding as one greater Pacific. Along with our inherent and long standing relationship with the great nation of Australia, I am confident that we will make new tidal strides across the extraordinary pacific. Together we are strong.

Written by May Manna Wanya - PAYA Regional Coordinator for Melanesia