Dr LINO TOM[2] PNG’s National Department of Health has been accused of corruption, including taking bribes from pharmaceutical companies and misappropriation of government funds.
His team began the process of collecting and collating information on: A report on these findings is due to be provided to the National Executive Council (NEC) in the coming months.
[3] In May 2011, Dr Clement Malau (Dr Malua), former Secretary for Health and Head of the National Department of Health until August 2011, under the previous PNG administration, was under fire for depositing a sum of PGK1.767 million from government money into the Bank of South Pacific (BSP) in 1998, instead using it for healthcare purposes and, ten years later, in August 2008, authorising the re-payment of this amount, plus interest, to an unregistered company named PACPNG Pharmaceuticals, instead of back to the government.
[4] In March 2011, it was reported that senior officials in the National Department of Health received massive kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies for a period of up to ten years.
[5] A paper prepared by the Australian government’s aid division, AUSAID in 2005, stated that although the country has a sound national health policy, a number of factors are hindering its implementation.