Building Health Leadership Capacity to Improve Care in Papua New Guinea

A report by the Asian Development Bank, with Papua New Guinea’s National Department of Health and universities, highlights how the Health Executive Leadership Development Program is strengthening leadership and management in the country’s health system. The initiative is helping health professionals improve decision-making, teamwork, and planning, although broader challenges such as infrastructure gaps and workforce shortages remain.

Papua New Guinea’s health system operates in one of the most challenging environments in the world. Mountainous terrain, scattered islands, and limited transport networks mean that many communities can only be reached by boat, small aircraft, or long walks. These realities make the delivery of health services extremely difficult. A recent report by the Asian Development Bank, prepared in collaboration with Papua New Guinea’s National Department of Health and academic partners, including the University of Papua New Guinea and Divine Word University, explores how better leadership can help strengthen the country’s health system.

The report focuses on the Health Executive Leadership Development Program, a training initiative designed to prepare senior health professionals for leadership roles. Through interviews with graduates, health officials, and program facilitators, the study highlights how leadership training can improve decision-making, coordination, and management across the health sector.

A Health System Facing Persistent Challenges

Papua New Guinea’s health indicators reflect the difficulties faced by the system. Maternal and infant mortality remain high, while access to essential services such as antenatal care and childhood immunization has stagnated or even declined in some areas. At the same time, the country’s population continues to grow, placing additional pressure on already limited health resources.

Although the number of health workers has improved slightly in recent years, the workforce still falls short of national targets. Many rural communities struggle with shortages of doctors, nurses, and medical supplies. Weak health information systems and limited infrastructure further complicate planning and service delivery.

These challenges highlight the need not only for more resources but also for stronger leadership within the health sector.

Decentralization Exposed Leadership Gaps

In 2007, Papua New Guinea introduced a major reform by creating Provincial Health Authorities. These authorities were meant to decentralize the health system by transferring responsibility for service delivery from the national government to provincial administrations. Each province became responsible for managing hospitals, clinics, and community health posts while implementing national health policies.

While the reform aimed to bring health services closer to communities, it also exposed gaps in leadership capacity. Many senior health officials had strong clinical backgrounds but little training in management, governance, or strategic planning. As a result, provincial health authorities often struggled with budgeting, coordination, and data reporting.

Without strong leadership, it became difficult to turn national health policies into effective services on the ground.

Training the Next Generation of Health Executives

To address these gaps, the Asian Development Bank and its partners launched the Health Executive Leadership Development Program in 2023. The program forms part of the wider Health Services Sector Development Program aimed at strengthening Papua New Guinea’s health system.

The training program targets experienced health professionals working in hospitals, provincial health authorities, nongovernmental organizations, and the national health department. Participants are nominated by their organizations and selected based on their leadership potential.

The program includes a series of intensive workshops covering topics such as strategic planning, governance, financial management, and communication. Participants also receive mentoring and coaching throughout the course.

A key feature of the program is the requirement that each participant complete a project aimed at improving operations in their own workplace. These projects encourage participants to apply what they learn directly to real-world challenges.

Participants also take part in international study tours to countries such as Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore. These visits allow them to observe how well-functioning health systems operate and learn new approaches to management and planning.

Early Signs of Change on the Ground

Feedback from participants suggests that the program has already begun to make a difference. Graduates say the training helped them develop stronger leadership skills and a broader understanding of how the health system works. Many report becoming more confident in decision-making and better able to plan for long-term improvements.

In provinces where several staff members have completed the program, organizations have reported better teamwork and stronger coordination between departments. Some graduates have introduced new systems for monitoring hospital performance, improving communication among staff, and using data more effectively for planning.

The program has also created new professional networks among health leaders across the country. Graduates continue to share ideas and advice through informal groups, helping them stay connected despite the country’s geographic challenges.

Leadership as a Key to Health System Reform

While the program shows promising results, the report notes that leadership training alone cannot solve all of Papua New Guinea’s health challenges. The health system still faces shortages of staff, infrastructure gaps, and funding constraints.

To build on the program’s early success, the report recommends expanding leadership training to reach more professionals and developing specialized programs for senior health executives. It also suggests integrating leadership development into university programs so that the country can train future health leaders locally.

Ultimately, the report concludes that strong leadership is essential for improving health services. Skilled and confident leaders can make better decisions, manage resources more effectively, and guide the health system toward better outcomes for communities across Papua New Guinea.