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 leverages every available partnership, donation, and innovation. Their philosophy is simple yet powerful: every kina, every donated machine, and every hour of volunteer expertise must be put to maximum use for the people of Hela.
This disciplined approach to resource stewardship is nowhere more evident than in the establishment of the state-of-the-art Wali Anda Cervical Screening and Treatment Centre, the first of its kind in the Highlands region. Opened in 2023 with support from the Australian Government through the PNG–Australia Transition to Health (PATH) program and the Oil Search Foundation (now PNG Biomass), the centre provides “see-and-treat” services using modern thermal coagulation and cryotherapy units, dramatically reducing cervical cancer mortality in a province where women previously had almost no access to screening (Hela Provincial Health Authority, 2023; PNG National Department of Health, 2024). The fact that such a specialised facility now operates in Tari is a testament to the CEO and Board’s ability to turn international goodwill into tangible infrastructure.
Similarly, HPHA’s modern ICT facility, one of the most advanced in any rural hospital in PNG, enables telemedicine consultations, electronic medical records, and real-time disease surveillance. This digital backbone was made possible through strategic partnerships with the Asian Development Bank, UNICEF, and private-sector players in the resource industry who operate in Hela. Dr Kintwa and the Board have repeatedly shown an extraordinary talent for converting corporate social responsibility commitments and aid funding into sustainable systems rather than one-off projects.
None of these achievements would have been possible without the quiet but vital contributions of international partners and local stakeholders. The Royal Adelaide Hospital’s 2018 donation of biomedical equipment, carefully shipped and installed with volunteer technical support, provided HPHA with its first functional operating theatre and laboratory capabilities. This through Soilchild initiatives. Australian Aid, ExxonMobil PNG, Santos, and TotalEnergies have all provided critical financial and logistical backing over the years. Yet it is the Hela community itself, traditional leaders, church health services, and thousands of ordinary citizens, that deserve equal commendation. In a province where security challenges remain acute, communities have repeatedly protected health workers and supported outreach teams, demonstrating that trust in HPHA runs deep.
Dr James Kintwa and the HPHA Board have proven that leadership in public health is not about waiting for perfect conditions; it is about relentless pursuit of excellence within whatever constraints exist. They have shown how to honour every donation, every partnership, and every act of community goodwill by translating it into lives saved and futures secured.
In a nation where public institutions too often falter, Hela Provincial Health Authority shines as proof that vision, integrity, and strategic use of networks can produce extraordinary outcomes. The women now screened and treated for cervical pre-cancer at Wali Anda, the mothers delivering safely under theatre lights donated years ago, and the patients diagnosed early because of a functioning ICT system; these are the real measures of Dr Kintwa’s and the Board’s legacy.
Hela Province still faces immense challenges, but because of this leadership, its people now have a genuine cause for hope.
Kintwa, J. (2024) ‘Leadership and partnership in transforming rural health services: The Hela experience’, Keynote address, PNG Medical Symposium, Port Moresby, 12 September.
PNG National Department of Health (2024) *National Health Plan 2021–2030 Mid-Term Review*. Waigani: NDoH.
World Health Organization (2023) *Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative: Country Profile – Papua New Guinea*. Geneva: WHO.
Asian Development Bank (2022) *PNG: Health Services Sector Development Program – Hela Province Subprogram*. Manila: ADB.
ExxonMobil PNG (2023) *Community Investment Report 2022*. Port Moresby: ExxonMobil PNG Limited
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 leverages every available partnership, donation, and innovation. Their philosophy is simple yet powerful: every kina, every donated machine, and every hour of volunteer expertise must be put to maximum use for the people of Hela.
This disciplined approach to resource stewardship is nowhere more evident than in the establishment of the state-of-the-art Wali Anda Cervical Screening and Treatment Centre, the first of its kind in the Highlands region. Opened in 2023 with support from the Australian Government through the PNG–Australia Transition to Health (PATH) program and the Oil Search Foundation (now PNG Biomass), the centre provides “see-and-treat” services using modern thermal coagulation and cryotherapy units, dramatically reducing cervical cancer mortality in a province where women previously had almost no access to screening (Hela Provincial Health Authority, 2023; PNG National Department of Health, 2024). The fact that such a specialised facility now operates in Tari is a testament to the CEO and Board’s ability to turn international goodwill into tangible infrastructure.
Similarly, HPHA’s modern ICT facility, one of the most advanced in any rural hospital in PNG, enables telemedicine consultations, electronic medical records, and real-time disease surveillance. This digital backbone was made possible through strategic partnerships with the Asian Development Bank, UNICEF, and private-sector players in the resource industry who operate in Hela. Dr Kintwa and the Board have repeatedly shown an extraordinary talent for converting corporate social responsibility commitments and aid funding into sustainable systems rather than one-off projects.
None of these achievements would have been possible without the quiet but vital contributions of international partners and local stakeholders. The Royal Adelaide Hospital’s 2018 donation of biomedical equipment, carefully shipped and installed with volunteer technical support, provided HPHA with its first functional operating theatre and laboratory capabilities. This through Soilchild initiatives. Australian Aid, ExxonMobil PNG, Santos, and TotalEnergies have all provided critical financial and logistical backing over the years. Yet it is the Hela community itself, traditional leaders, church health services, and thousands of ordinary citizens, that deserve equal commendation. In a province where security challenges remain acute, communities have repeatedly protected health workers and supported outreach teams, demonstrating that trust in HPHA runs deep.
Dr James Kintwa and the HPHA Board have proven that leadership in public health is not about waiting for perfect conditions; it is about relentless pursuit of excellence within whatever constraints exist. They have shown how to honour every donation, every partnership, and every act of community goodwill by translating it into lives saved and futures secured.
In a nation where public institutions too often falter, Hela Provincial Health Authority shines as proof that vision, integrity, and strategic use of networks can produce extraordinary outcomes. The women now screened and treated for cervical pre-cancer at Wali Anda, the mothers delivering safely under theatre lights donated years ago, and the patients diagnosed early because of a functioning ICT system; these are the real measures of Dr Kintwa’s and the Board’s legacy.
Hela Province still faces immense challenges, but because of this leadership, its people now have a genuine cause for hope.
References
Hela Provincial Health Authority (2023) *Annual Report 2022–2023*. Tari: HPHA.
Kintwa, J. (2024) ‘Leadership and partnership in transforming rural health services: The Hela experience’, Keynote address, PNG Medical Symposium, Port Moresby, 12 September.
PNG National Department of Health (2024) *National Health Plan 2021–2030 Mid-Term Review*. Waigani: NDoH.
World Health Organization (2023) *Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative: Country Profile – Papua New Guinea*. Geneva: WHO.
Asian Development Bank (2022) *PNG: Health Services Sector Development Program – Hela Province Subprogram*. Manila: ADB.
ExxonMobil PNG (2023) *Community Investment Report 2022*. Port Moresby: ExxonMobil PNG Limited
.JPG)
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