2.2.3 Distribution of health workers by provinces There is an inequitable distribution of HWs across the provinces with wide variations in the number
of people served by each HW. The National Capital District has the highest proportion of HWs, and the lowest proportion is in Western Province (Table 8).
Dental professionals/1000 people
HEOs/1000 people
Nurses/1000 people
CHWs/1000 people
Pharmacy professionals/1000 people
Medical laboratory staff/1000 people
Allied health professionals/1000 people
AROB
188
0.03
0.003
0.01
0.30
0.23
0.01
0.01
0.01
Central
255
0.003
–
0.04
0.10
0.57
–
0.02
–
East Sepik
486
0.03
0.01
0.04
0.29
0.45
0.01
0.02
0.04
Eastern Highlands
685
0.04
0.02
0.02
0.32
0.53
0.01
0.02
0.02
East New Britain
627
0.04
0.03
0.05
0.60
0.61
0.02
0.05
0.08
Provinces
Total no. of health workers
Medical doctors/1000 people
Table 8. Health workers per population by cadre and province, 2018
Enga
458
0.04
0.01
0.03
0.30
0.41
0.004
0.02
0.02
Gulf
165
0.03
0.01
0.04
0.24
0.43
0.01
0.02
0.03
Hela
126
0.02
0.003
0.03
0.17
0.13
0.01
0.02
0.04
Jiwaka
272
0.002
0.004
0.02
0.29
0.20
–
0.01
0.01
Simbu
357
0.06
0.01
0.02
0.29
0.30
0.01
0.02
0.03
Madang
707
0.04
0.01
0.05
0.37
0.65
0.01
0.02
0.03
Manus
218
0.23
0.01
0.17
1.19
0.99
0.04
0.08
0.20
Milne Bay
858
0.06
0.03
0.09
0.80
1.50
0.02
0.04
0.07
Morobe
724
0.06
0.01
0.01
0.57
0.18
0.02
0.03
0.04
NCD
1261
0.28
0.05
0.004
1.48
0.64
0.05
0.12
0.13
New Ireland
376
0.06
0.03
0.11
0.60
0.47
0.02
0.07
0.06
Oro
228
0.04
0.03
0.04
0.35
0.46
0.01
0.02
0.03
Southern Highlands
405
0.03
0.01
0.02
0.24
0.31
0.005
0.01
0.02
West New Britain
505
0.04
0.03
0.07
0.51
0.74
0.01
0.04
0.08
Western Highlands
593
0.05
0.02
0.03
0.48
0.65
0.01
0.03
0.05
West Sepik
521
0.03
0.01
0.06
0.40
1.11
0.01
0.04
0.07
Western
73
0.04
–
0.01
0.08
0.17
–
–
0.01
AROB, Autonomous Region of Bougainville; CHW, community health worker; HEO, health extension officer; NCD, National Capital District. Source: National Department of Health, 2018b; National Department of Health, 2018d.
2.2.4 Distribution of health workers by urban/rural areas Although 87% of the population live in rural areas (The World Bank, 2019) only 34% of HWs are deployed in
these areas (Table 9). There are severe shortages of medical officers and pharmacy professionals in rural areas. This is offset by the higher proportion of HEOs and CHWs who are trained to work in rural areas in the absence of doctors.
Papua New Guinea
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