The National St John Ambulance (NStJA) recently witnessed the graduation of 24 new Ambulance Officers following their successful completion of a 12-week Ambulance Officer Level One Course at the National Ambulance Education College in Baruni, Port Moresby city.
These graduates are equipped to uphold NStJA’s mission of serving the nation by delivering excellence in emergency care to Papua New Guineans in times of sickness, distress, crisis, or danger without distinction of tribe, class, or creed.
They are ready to respond to emergencies, embody NStJA’s core values of Care, Agility, Respect, Excellence, and Service Above Self, and contribute to the health and well-being of communities across the country.
The intensive training program combines classroom instruction with practical, hands-on learning, covering the management of medical, trauma, and psychological emergencies.
Recruits also undertook parade drills, bootcamp-style physical training, designed to build discipline, teamwork, and resilience which are qualities essential for the demanding role of an ambulance officer.
In addition, they completed an advanced emergency driving course to ensure they can respond safely under varied and often challenging conditions.
NStJA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kai Tane, congratulated the graduates, stating that these officers have undergone rigorous preparation to respond to emergencies, stabilize patients, and deliver timely, life-saving care.
“They are ready to serve the people of Papua New Guinea with professionalism and dedication as they step into their roles as Trainee Ambulance Officers.”
The graduates will now begin a nine-month Trainee Ambulance Officer placement, working alongside experienced ambulance officers to gain on-road experience and on-the-job training in both urban and remote settings.
Of the 24 graduates, eleven trainees are from the National Capital District, while the remaining thirteen come from across the provinces: two from Central, one from Mt Hagen, two from East New Britain, four from Lae, and four from Unggai-Bena in the Eastern Highlands.
This training program was made possible through the generous support of key partners, including ExxonMobil PNG, which funded the National Ambulance Education College, as well as the Marape/Rosso Government and the National Department of Health Emergency Medicine Office.
Furthermore, their support enables NStJA to expand services and strengthen emergency care nationwide.
Further support from the Australian Federal Police through the PNG-Australia Policing Partnership (PNG-APP) has strengthened NStJA’s capacity by helping develop in-house ambulance educators, ensuring long-term sustainability in training future emergency responders.
The National St John Council welcomes the 24 new officers as they begin their service to the nation, reinforcing NStJA’s commitment to delivering excellence in emergency care to the people of PNG.
