Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) has officially launched the PNG Training Institute for Allied Health, a dedicated simulation and training facility that will run the country's first Comprehensive Cancer Centre at Waigani, Port Moresby.

The institute, housed within the Flowtint Group offices, was unveiled yesterday in the presence of the Secretary for Health, Mr. Pascoe Kase representing the Marape-Rosso Government and the Minister for Health.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Carl Adams of Flowtint Group, said the facility has been years in the making and has faced significant challenges, but will finally deliver a world-class service funded entirely by the Papau New Guinea (PNG) Government.

"This is the most expensive building ever constructed in this country. It's the largest funded health care facility by this government, and it should be congratulated for it. It's not being funded by external organizations or charities, it's funded by the PNG Government for the PNG people," Mr. Adams said.

He stressed that while the technology is world-leading, its success will depend on people.

"At the end of the day, it's just a facility. At the end of the day, it's just technology. What is going to make the success of that facility is the human being. Healthcare is still about people," he said.

Mr. Adams revealed that more than $2.5 million USD has been spent on software alone. The centre runs on the ARIA Oncology Information System, a digital platform that controls all treatment machines.

"If the software goes down, if there's a hitch, there will be no treatment that day. The machine just doesn't work without that input," he said.

To address this, the Training Institute was established out of necessity. It will offer full simulation, software training with international experts, and ongoing refresher training as technology evolves. Training will cover radiation therapy, medical physics, oncology nursing, imaging, ultrasound, mammography and other allied health skills.

"This is not replacing what is available through formal tertiary institutions. This is enhancing the skills of what you've developed at university," Mr. Adams said.

Also speaking at the launch, PMGH Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paki Molumi said the journey began in 2019 from "rumbles and nothing" and paid tribute to long-time partners Dr. Karthik and Dr. Priya, as well as the Flowtint Group team.

"You are going to own this service. You are the founding people of this very facility and this service to the country," Dr. Molumi said.

He said medical physicists and radiation therapists who had been sent for training at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka, China and Australia, have now come together in the simulation facility to work as a team.

He thanked Professor Jaya from the University of Colombo, who trained PNG's medical physicists in Sri Lanka and has now been contracted to continue training locally.

Dr. Molumi said the project is delivering on the National Health Plan 2021-2030, which positions PMGH as a national tertiary referral, research and teaching hospital with the new Medical and Health Science University.

He said cancer is now the number one lifestyle-related cause of death in PNG, followed by stroke, heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

He also called for nationwide early screening programs for breast and cervical cancer, saying the new centre can support rural areas through telemedicine to diagnose patients early.

The CEO for PMGH confirmed that an Australian team including oncologists from Melbourne will arrive to help commission the facility and provide hands-on training.

He said the demand for allied health services will be enormous and employment is guaranteed for those who complete the training.

"If you want to give kids the advantage, the opportunity to expand their career options rather than politics, allied health is the area to go to," he said.

The Comprehensive Cancer Centre is expected to be completed in the coming months.