Lack of counselling services

Lack of professional counselling Services & lifestyle health programs is sinking in Papua New Guinea.

Many organisations, both public and private sectors are yet to realise the need to employ well-trained Counsellors in their organisations. Many Workers are mentally affected and they are not realising the full potentials of their professions.

There are no professionally trained graduated Clinical Psychologists attached in all major public and private health facilities. The major health settings only provide physical treatment but forget about the very heart of life…The Mind…As a result, there is no complete treatment provided to those who visit them.

 In addition, there is a lack of lifestyle health programs conducted in the country. Every year, death notices are published in the print media that high profile people are dying from a heart attack, heart stroke or diabetics etc.

Every year lawyers, judges and top elites are dying from a heart attack or heat stroke, or diabetics. I am hearing that we are losing so many National Court Judges to heart attacks and stroke.  Many are having high blood pressure.

The top government officials lack knowledge of the kind of services requires to improve work performance to increase productivity.

In some sections of the community, there are Social Welfare Officers but no lifestyle health programs.

Generally, the worker in Papua New Guinea is unhealthy. Their physical appearance is simply not encouraging, they are overweight, have big bellies hanging down, cannot walk properly which will affect their health.

Many of these officers do not attend yearly or even quarterly health check-ups or do not seek professional psychological counselling services so that many of their issues can be sorted out professionally, thus take full control of their life.

Papua New Guinea, as a country, needs counselling services and lifestyle health programs in every section of the society if the country wants to produce a healthy and fit society.

Lifestyle Diseases in workplace

Any successive government fail to effectively address one of the fastest emerging public health issues in Papua New Guinea. The health system by now realigns its health services towards prevention programs.

The lifestyle disease is silently but at the fastest rate killing highly skilled workers png-losing-elites-through-lifestyle-diseases. Due to a lack of awareness on the lifestyle disease programs, the highly skilled workforce are becoming victims of lifestyle diseases thus affecting family income. The Papua New Guinea government's ability to raise tax income will also be affected thus shift in national budget allocations to other development priority areas. The story below is an example of a lifestyle disease (diabetic) that has destroyed one of the skilled Industrial Worker.

John (not his name), father of two beautiful children, age 38, a highly-skilled Industrial Worker. He works for many companies. He lives with his family in one of the towns in Papua New Guinea.

His lifestyle.
He drinks 12-24 bottles of beer every weekend. When an opportunity (friends offering him a beer) pops up during weekdays, he drinks beer between 6-12 bottles. Coke is "half of his life" that’s how he puts it. He takes 2-4 bottles of coke per day. In a week, 14-28 bottles. He takes 4 sweet cups of coffee with 2-5 teaspoons of sugar per day. On daily meal: family eat white rice, white bread/scone, tinned fish, veggies and fried foods. He’s a heavy smoker and betel nut chewer.

Like everyone, he did not care about his life until he felt sick. One day he went to the hospital and did his full blood count.

 Laboratory clinical results.
Glucose (sugar) level was high and elevated blood pressure.

Treatment.

1. The doctor prescript diabetic’s medication. 
2. He also consults lifestyle health advisers where they develop a lifestyle modification plan. 
3. Continue follow-up messages were sent as reinforcement messages to reduce the level of sugar. 

However, he fails to adhere to all the health plans as well as treatment intake.

On the first health consult, his glucose reading was 8.5 as indicates on the graph. After the first consult, he was faithful to medicine and follow all the healthy choices. On the second consult, the glucose dropped to the controllable level of 6.0mmol/L.

However, he was not consistent with the healthy choices and medication. From the 3rd to the 8th health consults, his glucose readings were very high, which slightly dropped at the controllable level on the 9th consult.

Nevertheless, he did not put his health as the number one life business, thus leading to uncaring lifestyle choices.

The condition becomes worse which saw him losing his life. The uncured sore appears on his right toe. The doctor chopped the toes off. However, the condition got worse that leads him to lose his right leg to diabetics. As a result, he’s now a crippled man.

Due to uncaring lifestyle choices, more burden is now on his wife to look after him as well as the two children. This will setback the children's education, and their upbringing.

Finally, the man died from diabetes and left behind two children with his wife.

Organically growing local food in Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea produces some of the world’s best organically farmed garden foods and fruits. These are some of the locally grown organic fresh veggies and fruits.

All over Papua New Guinea, local markets sell many of these fresh veggies and fruits at affordable prices. They are good for health than those manufactured goods sold in the stores.

The lifestyle disease in Papua New Guinea is avoidable as we have organically grown foods and fruits available at local markets. The choice people make will determine their health.

Why are people running too high on carbohydrate drinks like coke than a local produce fresh coconut juice? The cost of coconut juice is cheap than the high sugar-based drinks like coke. Figure #4 is coconut juice from Markham valley. It cost just K1.00 and Coke cost K2.00 to K3.50.

The important message to ALL Papua New Guineans is: Once you hit the sickbed, the chair you are sitting on will depart from you. All the happiness and dreams will go under the bridge.

Run after good health than the material wealth. The glory of this world is only added unto people with good health, so follow healthy lifestyle choices.

NO Money for TB Program

Lead up 24th World TB Day, the Health Professionals and Public health Specialists are out in the communities conducting TB awareness programs. This is one of the national public health calendar programs across the nation. It has 

Mrs Maggie Patrick, HIV/STI nurse pictured at Gusap Health Center in Madang Province said we are out in the communities for one week conducting TB awareness. The nurses are showing their willingness to implement the important public health program. 

We're not confined to TB but also talking about other public issues such as HIV/AIDS.

She said the Provincial Health Authorities lack funding and the National Department of Health too has not funded the program.

Indeed it’s a sad state when the government has not funded to support the important public health program, she said.

She said public health program is dying in the province. The government must budget for public health programs because many patients seeking healthcare are with preventable diseases through awareness.

She also said HIV infection is on the rise and the government must not go in deep sleep when it comes to public issues. She further said every month there is a new HIV infection reported in her clinic.

TB Nurse Miriam Toakio pictured above said they have submitted a project proposal to the office of Using/Bundi Member but have yet to get a response.

However, without any funding, we have done what we could do to spread the public health messages to the public, especially in the rural communities where 80% of the population are living.

.

She further said we do not need big funding but at least some money for refreshment's and when we are out in the communities.

What we have done is we use our own money to buy food and water. There are no Information, Communication, Education materials for distribution, she said.

Disability awareness changed my Life

Overview

Self-reflection of this paper is about the unawareness world of disability to the awareness that has significantly changed my life, my opinions, actions taken and further road-map.  

Unaware…

I’ve seen them around yet did not saw them in the wisdom of my sight. I did not listen to hear their voices and understand to reach out to inspire their dreams and aspirations.

My whole world was blanketed with no idea of disabilities thus did not capture them in the picture of my dreams and aspirations.  When my unknown world become widen, I had no room to hear their silent voices calling out in the wilderness for help.

It was an honest view of myself because I was not educated about the importance of disabilities, their vulnerabilities, and their potentials to contribute to their families and the community.

According to the Australian Human right Commissioner, disability discrimination is defined as when a person with a disability is treated less favourably than a person without the disability in the same or similar circumstances (definition).

So, what happened to me….

After so much exposure to disabilities through many field visits, lectures, videos, literature review and learning about the level of Queensland State Government structured disable support programs, indeed I was crushed into dust. Those experiences have changed my truly unknown worldview of disability, and now I am not the same person I used to be.

What’s my opinion….

Absent of countrywide government structured social welfare support services; non-accessibility and availability of disabling person-oriented living conditions in rural villages; lack of understanding disabled people as an important member of a community and their potentials to contribute to the community where they were born to live freely and grow;  lack of educational awareness disseminate into the hearts and minds of millions of Papua New Guineans;  I think Papua New Guinea as a country for a long time did not hear the silent voices of disabled people.

This is how disabled people speak up in Singaut Bilong Pikinini video:

It’s very difficult for disabled people living in Papua New Guinea: “Also challenging to reach the unreached and touch the untouched disable person in rural communities” said Ishmael Leave.

Emma a disabled primary school girl from Goroka in Eastern Highlands Province said:

“School kids describe me as having doubt fingers, twisted leg and trouble heart”.

“Despite those discrimination words, I go to school to fly my dreams of becoming an air hostess one day and help my family and community” (Experience of Disable person). 

What action taken….

From my first block break, I travel back to Papua New Guinea. I jump on a waiting 15- seater Public Motor Vehicle.  The passengers share their stories as we cruise through the Markham valley. Everyone was filled with many stories shared and interviewed me to share the Australian experience.

The story was on educational awareness about disability in our community. I engage the passengers asking this question; have you seen a disabled person in your villages? Many passengers said they’ve seen disabled people in other places but not in their villages.

I talked about the importance of disabled people; their vulnerability and special needs; not to look at their disability but see them as people with a lot of potentials; abilities, dreams and aspirations and can contribute meaningfully in our communities.

The Public Motor Vehicle driver did not talk but listen with great interest as he carefully negotiates many potholes along the road. I fill him enough to break his silence and this is how he puts it:

“Your stories have changed my world of how I see the disabled person”.

“In my village, I have a disabled person, I haven’t driven him around in my car, not even one single day taken him to shops and never treated him with care”.

“From now onward; I will drive him to shops with my kids for ice, buy foods and look after him, then he said, thanks to you”.

What’re my future actions…

So, to conclude as long I live, I will conduct educational awareness about disabilities in whatever capacity in my country. I will not fear or pull back, but I will support and disseminate disability information where I can reach.

Types of ABI/Stroke

ABI stands for Acquired brain injury.  ABI occurs due to external forces such as a car accident, physical by another person, fall from a high building etc. A stroke occurs as a result of damages or injuries to blood vessels click for further reading on ABI/stroke.

Stroke is medical know as a cerebrovascular disease that occurs due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients reaching the brain. The blood vessels that transport oxygen and nutrients may be blocked or bleed due to various socioeconomic or medical conditions.  One example of socioeconomic condition should be stress or cholesterol build up in the blood vessel due to food lifestyle choices click for more images. 

 TBI: TBI stands for Traumatic Brain Injury. Traumatic Brain Injury occurs due to external force such as car accident, physical by another person, fall from high building etc. What happens is impact the normal structure of the brain and result in a significant shift of movement which may tear, bruises, movement, dislocation, or become swollen which affect the supply of oxygen and nutrient to the brain click to see images.

Hypoxia/Anoxia

Hypoxic is a lack of supply of enough oxygen to the brain. Both conditions may occur despite the supply of blood. The brain injury occurs quickly because there is no oxygen reaching the brain and it’s a life-threatening condition. Anoxic brain injury occurs due to a lack of oxygen to the brain click to images.

Alcohol-Related Brain Injury

Heavy drinking can affect brain functions & the nervous system that includes; -difficulty walking, poor vision, not reacting to a situation as a normal person would do and memory loss 0

 

Degenerative neurological diseases click for more images

As we get older, our brain gets wore-out as indicated in the pictures. 

Experience of stroke

One of the fasting growing public health concerns in Papua New Guinea is cardiovascular disease.   Due to poor lifestyle choices, heart attack or stroke is fasting growing medical conditions and killing many highly skilled workers.

Many people are not educated about the kind of food choices, socioeconomic stresses such as dysfunctional family relationships, work stress, and lack of self-care etc.

The story that runs through these pages is about a recent heart attack on a senior public servant who works and lives in Port Moresby- the nation’s capital city.

His name is Phi…. (nickname). He’s not a drinker (beer), chews buai or smokes. He’s a family-oriented man.

He did not care about his health because he’s not the kind of person that eats anything he finds.  All he cares about is work, family and life in general. He never goes for health checks, yet the services in Port Moresby is widely available.

However, he’s overweight (Body Mass Index - overweight). He has work-related stress. He did not care to seek counselling service, because he did not realize how important counselling service would help him.

Without knowing what will happen to his life, he conducts business as usual and lives a happy life with his family.

Just recently, he was rush to the Pacific International Hospital after he had experienced sudden numbness or weakness of his face, arm and leg. He was diagnosed as having a stroke. He almost died but fortunately, he survived to see more images.

Lesson learnt
He did not manage his lifestyle well than ending up in the hospital.
He paid huge financial medical bills.  
He’s now discharged and back to normal life but on medication and lifestyle modification plan.

Advice
If you have any health issues, seek medical advice earlier than waiting too late.

Basic Facts about diabetes in Papua New Guinea.

Diabetes affects All our body.

Diabetes is fastest developing disease in Papua New Guinea. According to Papua New Guinea Risk Factors STEPS REPORT (February 2014), detailed research done in the National Capital District by a collaborative effort between the National Department of Health (NDOH), Papua New Guinea (PNG), HOPE Worldwide, PNG, and World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes in Papua New Guinea was found in Wanigala in 1961. Many Wanigala communities become victims of diabetes. Later the disease was found to be common within the Tolai community in East New Britain Province.

Today [December 2019], diabetes has spread fastest than a man would imagine and it's affecting the lives of many Papua New Guineans. This is a result of many Papua New Guinea eating more processed foods than organically grown foods.

Papua New Guineans are now depending on process foods than originally grown foods. Many people including the youths are not working in the garden/land to produce organic food. However, at present (December 2019] there are 100% organic foods sold at local markets and there is no need for people to depend on process food.

In the last two or three decades, people who have become victims of diabetes were due of a lack of education and awareness. Even now the government of Papua New Guinea through the Department of National Health, they are not doing enough to drive lifesaving health education and awareness down to the rural level.

Consequently, many Papua New Guineas are yet to be educated about their lifestyle choices. Many do not know process foods contains sugar and salt. The worse affected are the Health Workers. If the people who are well informed to educate us are victims, then, there is no choice left, we must get educated for the good of our health. 

So let's look at following questions:

What is diabetes? 

How diabetes damages the human body?

How to prevent diabetes?  

What is Diabetes?

According to World Health Organization, Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. 

How diabetes damages the human body?

Diabetes can damage our nervous system, cause male impotence; reduce visual medical condition; result in disability, especially the lower limbs; cause high blood pressure, damage kidneys, affect memory, diabetes can affect the entire body system.

How to prevent diabetes?  

It starts with lifestyle choices. To decide lifestyle choices, one must be aware of the health consequence of poor lifestyle choices that will come about.  

Buai causing poverty in Papua New Guinea society.

Many Papua New Guineans are engaging in four social activities

that are detrimental to their health, wealth, family and the country. Most of these activities are influence by the social and cultural environment. They are unaware of what they’re doing until in late-stage where their health is affected, or financially broke down, or children welfare is affected, especially, when kids are push out of the school due to school fee issues.

More than five hundred people I have counselled said, they learnt new bad social habits in our youths’ days in a peer environment. They registered their interest only to equal in the social class, the moment they registered their membership, they were chained to bad social habits for many years. Some of them, find it difficult to bail out. These people are not different to those living in Bomana prison. The four bad social habits are; chewing buai, smoking, drinking alcohol, and playing gamble.  

Buai/Betelnut

Buai is a tradition in Papua New Guinea and chewing is a social norm in many parts. Like in West tradition, beer or coffee brings friends together for business or politics, in Papua New Guinea Buai plays a pivotal role in mobilizing the communities to discuss community issues. Where there is the festive season, birthday party [etc.], chewing of Buai creates a school of social learning so the next generations learn to chew buai so the Buai is a culturally acceptable norm.

The Buai Chewers do not realize the Buai dig hold into their bank accounts. It’s costing lots of money per day. The Chewers think that spending K10.00 per day is manageable or within their financial capacity. However, one does not realize the annual cumulative financial cost of the Buai, indeed it’s an eye-opener to Clients that counselling session.

John is one of my Clients who has chewed for 20 years. He spends about K10.00 per day. An annual cumulative figure has created a financial hole in his bank account of K3,650.00. 

Multiplying the annual cost by twenty years of chewing Buai would cost him K73,000.00.

Chewing Buai is detrimental to our health. It can cause month cancer and raise blood pressure which in some cases may lead to fatal.  Buai can contribute to poor personal hygiene which causes stain teeth’s and clothes.

Smoke

Smokers never get a smoke holiday. Smokers never go without smoke per day. Smokers put tobacco before their life. Even the last money, they can spend on smoke than food or water.  Smoke is addictive and chained people’s live.  Those Smokers are no different to those in the prison.

Smoke can dig holes in Smoker’s bank account and easily drain all the money they have worked for. The smoke companies insert smoke chips into Smoker’s bank account. The account is linking every second.  The smoke affects every Papua New Guineas financial and end up empty pay packet every fortnight.  The worse thing one can do is get smoke credit at the black market.

For example; if someone smoke K10.00 every day, multiple by 365 days would cost him K3,650.00, multiple that by several years he/she has been smoking, the financial cost would increase. For example; 10 years times 3650 would cost the smoker K36,500.00.

So, if someone smokes both smoke and Buai at the same time and budget, it would cost the person K7,300.00. Base on the clinical assessment, the K10.00 cost per day for Buai or Smoke is just average only. One hundred people said they have spent more than K10.00 per day on smoke and buai. 95% of them said buai and smoke go well together.  Smoke can also affect Smoker’s health.  

Alcohol  

Drinkers spend too much money on one session. Many Papua New Guinea drinks to the last toea. One carton of beer is more beer coming. They can drink till the next day or until they are fully drinking. Once they drink the beer, the tape is running.  This means a large sum of money is gone into beer on one session and the remaining days to the next paydays, they go dry and drained and look for black market money loans at the high interest rate. Beer can also contribute to social problems like family violence, tribal fight [etc.] and also contributes to bad health.

Gambling

The common gambling in Papua New Guinea is a horse race and pokes machine.  The pokes machine digs huge holes in the lives of people. Pokes cause poverty in the lives of many workers. The National Gambling Control Board profits more than K100,000,00.00 million kina every year. Pokes machines are directly contributing to the poverty in Papua New Guinea.

These bad social habits are digging huge holes into ordinary worker’s bank account. Many are chained into these bad habits and it requires support from the government and other NGOs.

Mental health services lacking in Papua New Guinea

Mental health services are a missing link in Papua New Guinea. Millions of people silently suffering from mental health conditions. Even the department of health, a provider of health services in the country has lacked skill manpower and funding support to make services available throughout the country.

Both public and private sectors are yet to realize the need to employ well trained Mental Health Professionals/Counselors in their organisations. Many Workers are mentally affected, depressed and suffer silently, as a result, setback personal development as well as contributing meaningfully to their organizations.

There are no professionally trained graduated Clinical Psychologists attached in all the major public and private health facilities. The major health settings only provide physical treatment but forget about the heart of life -The Mind. As a result, there is no complete provision of medical treatment to those who visit them.

In addition, there is a lack of lifestyle health programs conducted in the country. Every year, death notices are published in the print media that high profile people like judges, lawyers and top elites are dying from a heart attack, stroke or diabetics etc. 

The top government officials lack knowledge of the kind of services requires to improve work performance that stimulates creativity and innovation.

In some sections of the community there are Social Welfare Officers, but no lifestyle health programs.

Generally, the workers in Papua New Guinea is unhealthy. Just walking down the street of Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka or Hagen their physical appearance is simply not encouraging; they are overweight, with big bellies hanging down, cannot walk properly which will affect their health.

Many of these officers do not attend yearly or even quarterly health check-ups or do not seek professional psychological counselling services so that many of their issues can be sorted out professionally, thus take full control of their life.

Papua New Guinea, as a country, needs counselling services and lifestyle health programs in every section of the society if the country wants to produce a healthy and fit society.

Four healthy lifestyle choices.

How to live a healthy life?.

Whatever investment a person invest in their health, the same returns. Not big things can improve the quality of life, but small things will make a huge difference in man's health. Many good things can make the positive outcome of a healthy life; however, in this is an article, we look at four basic choices that can improve the quality of overall health.

Eat good food, but the right size.

Eating over good food can negative health consequence, that is why eating right size of good food directly improve the quality of life.

For example: eating chicken is good for health. Chicken is a food that comes under the bodybuilding food group, which is protein. Although it’s good for health, that does not give a man a right to eat a plate full of chicken meats. Eating too much chicken can contribute to poor health outcomes like building up cholesterol that can lead to heart diseases. Hence, good food with the right size choice is the best decision for a healthy life.

Get active physical exercise.

Physical exercise like jogging around the park or power walking is good for your health. Men/women must engage in physical exercise for 2-3 days a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Engaging in exercise makes the body function effectively, thus distributing oxygen and food throughout the body.

Get 6-8 hours of sleep each night.

After the machines are used, they must return to the service station for maintenance. Our body, after days of use, needs maintenance. 

So, sleep is the only thing that can fully restore the day's use of the body.  Without enough hours of sleep, the body relinquishes, thus resulting in many health conditions.

For this reason, a man needs six [6] to eight [8] hours of sleep per night for the body to fully recover.

Drink lots of water 

The scientist is saying the human body is made up of 70-80% of water. Our body needs at least need more than 5 [600ml] bottles of water per day [3 litres]. 

Stay fit & healthy .... Stay Long...

Lifestyle diseases affecting Papua New Guineas

Lifestyle disease is the fastest growing health issues in Papua New Guinea. The country is experiencing a new trend of medical conditions arising as a result of t pushing the limited health system into the corner.

Why most Papua New Guineans are dying from lifestyle diseases? 

The country is at the transitional period-moving away from the traditional way of lifestyle to westernize lifestyle. The modern generations are doing away with garden foods and resorting to process foodstuff

The 80% of the nation’s populations are in the rural area. Many of these people also now give up the garden work or work on the land.

Many of the rural people are growing cash crops for family demand and also for family income. Some of these ended up in the main markets in Lae, Port Moresby, Madang, Rabaul, Goroka, Hagen (etc.), yet the people are not eating more garden foods that are healthier.

Many of our people are uneducated about the kind of food that is sold at the market, especially soft drink like Coke, Pepsi, cordial, cake, white rice, beer, sugar, white bread and so on. These foods contain lots of sugar and salt that affect their health. 

Papua New Guinea is becoming a dumping ground for junk foodstuffs such as fatty beef flaps, pork, poultry skins, saturated vegetable oils, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil or dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat milk. These food increase accumulation of cholesterol in the circulatory system that may lead to heart diseases like stroke, and heart attack.

No Excuse Period 

Many of our modern local markets are flooded with locally growth foodstuff. They are all organic. There is no reason why many Papua New Guineans are suffering from lifestyle disease and dying from them.

Basing on the interviews conducted, many Papua New Guineans are lacking health education. People need health education so that people can change their lifestyle and live a good and healthy life.

Their lots of veggies and fruits, they’re organic yet people are going for processed food that is putting their lives at great health risk.

What can people do now?

-Eat more garden foods than store foods

-Stop drinking soft drinks like Coke, Pepsi, cordial, sugar with tea/coffee

-Cut down eating white rice and white bread/scone

Happy healthy life.

HIV/AIDS risks family homes

Full blown AIDS

Amidst the HIV/AIDS epidemic, engaging in risky sexual behavior outside of the confines of a marriage is not a private matter. The consequences of such actions have far-reaching effects that impact not only the individuals involved but also their partners, friends, and extended family members.

When a married man or woman engages in extramarital affairs and contracts HIV, their partner becomes susceptible to infection as well. Furthermore, the infection can easily spread to their sideline friends, creating a network of individuals affected by HIV and AIDS. The devastating impact of these diseases is not limited to physical health, but also affects the emotional well-being of those involved.

Children bear the direct brunt of the consequences, as they witness their parents' struggles with HIV/AIDS. These experiences become an indelible part of their lives, shaping their memories and leaving a lasting impact. The loss of parental love, care, and support that ensues can have profound effects on their development, hindering their progress in life and leaving them with feelings of sadness and loss that endure.

Moreover, the impact of private sexual behaviors extends beyond immediate family members. It also affects the wider community, as well as friends and acquaintances.

Additionally, on a larger scale, the country loses valuable productive members of society, impacting tax income and consequently, the provision of public goods and services.

Unfortunately, many fail to recognize the ripple effects of their actions, be it positive or negative. For instance, littering in public places may seem like a trivial matter, but it sets a norm for others to follow, resulting in a deteriorating environment that necessitates increased expenditure on cleaning and dissuades visitors from our cities.

The act of sex may involve only two individuals, whether it be between two men or a man and a woman. This limited scope often leads people to wrongly assume that their actions are private and have no impact on others. In reality, this is a psychological fallacy. Such behavior carries consequences that extend far beyond the individuals involved, affecting the lives of countless others.

Therefore, it is crucial to exercise caution when considering engaging in extramarital sexual encounters. If one is contemplating straying from the bounds of marriage, using condoms can help prevent the transmission of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This simple precautionary measure can go a long way in safeguarding not only your own health but also the well-being of others.

Primary health care in Papua New Guinea

The health catchphrase “Prevention is better than Curing”.  Is the idea of catchphrase working in the Papua New Guinea health sector or just another slogan?

HIV/AIDS is killing people silently. The lifestyle diseases is one of the latest emerging public health concerns as it's killing a skilled workforce. Many preventable diseases are eating huge national budget thus affect the public budget spending on other priorities development areas.

If the country does not revisit its approach of health service delivery mechanism, many productive skilled workforces will die from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and HIV/AIDS.

Dr Samuel Rumbifa Maima Director of one of the Private Health Service in recent media said lifestyle diseases are affecting the skilled workforce. He further said “I think our priority in the delivery of health care should be model towards the prevention and promotion of health products.

The former Minister for Health & HIV/AIDS Mr Jamie Graham said our health delivery should focus on prevention rather than curative. When he was a Minister in Peter O’Neill’s government from 2011-2012, he wanted to design National Health Prevention Strategic Policy, but his time ran short.  

He added lifestyle diseases is killing the productive age group.  Many of our health professionals are not trained in nutrition. Our patients are only fed with medicine than better nutrition. He said all health training institutions should offer nutrition courses. Medicine should be the last thing and more focus should be on nutrition because many plants and foods have properties that are good for our health. He said medicine is not a complete picture of good health, nutrition is the best choice for good health.

The National Department of Health has budgeted Nutritionist positions but not many professionals are trained to drive this program he said.

The country should rise above and invest in prevention so that it addresses the code health problems in Papua New Guinea. Most of the health issues treated in all clinics are preventable. The country will save millions in long run, thus invest other development priorities.

The Health Department should focus on nutrition, personal hygiene, and health promotion than wait for health issues to come to their clinics for treatments. The department must run after for good health of this country than sitting there for health problems to come.  There have been many calls for the redesign of health model that will suit the population way of life.

Three reasons to stop smoke.

Young lady smoking. 

Do you love your life, or love smoke?

Smoke reduces life expectancy, drains present and future financial security, teaching children bad social habits, eat up your valuable time and bad social standing impression.

Three reasons to quit smoke

1.Your health is your number one wealth

Smoke directly affects human health that includes; blood circulation, heart functions, month, throat, reproductive systems, which may cause infertility, change the skin colour and affects bone, lungs which may lead to cancer.

Put your smoke on the side and ask questions like: can I live without smoke?

Smoke kills.

2.Do it for your Children!

There is no better place for kids to learn than your home. The parents are kids first learning environment.

So, why continuously smoking in front of kids? You’re simply telling your kids that your behaviour is okay to them. Their observational learning tells them that it's okay because daddy or mummy is smoking.

Whatever action parents engage in it, kids consider it as the norm of life. So, smoking in front of your children or engaging in any bad social habits, you’re simply pressing a green button.

One guy told me that, just because of my children, I quit smoke in 2018.

Your family is where your heart is if that sure!!!!do it now, otherwise, you're late. Act now or let your kids down!

3. Why hard-earned money kills your own life?

Sit back and work out how much you spent from the moment you started smoking. The answer you get is the money that is killing you slowly but at a fast rate.

In nutshell

Save life +save money+ save family = long & happy wealthy life on Earth.