Hela Provincial Health Authority: A Beacon of Hope in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands
In the rugged and often unforgiving terrain of Hela Province, where geographic isolation, tribal tensions, and chronic under-funding have long crippled public services, one institution stands out as a rare success story: the Hela Provincial Health Authority (HPHA). Against formidable odds, HPHA has not only survived but has begun to thrive, delivering quality healthcare to a population that has too often been forgotten. At the heart of this transformation is the visionary leadership of Chief Executive Officer Dr James Kintwa and a dedicated, forward-thinking Board. Under Dr Kintwa’s stewardship since the Authority’s establishment in 2017, HPHA has demonstrated what focused, principled leadership can achieve even with limited resources. Rather than succumbing to the bureaucratic inertia and rent-seeking that plague many provincial health systems in Papua New Guinea, Dr Kintwa and the Board have pursued a clear strategic vision: to build a resilient, patient-centred health system that le...
