Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has today (14.11.25) opened a landmark piece of institutional infrastructure symbolising the birth of the new and upcoming University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The Prime Minister opened the multipurpose hall for the University of Papua New Guinea School of Medicine and Health Sciences, which is on its way to becoming the new University of Medicine and Health Sciences after Parliament’s passing of the legislation enabling its inception at its last sitting in October 2025.

“I want to thank the University of PNG and Chancellor, Sir Robert Igara, and the Executive Dean of the Medical Faculty, Prof. Nakapi Tefuarani, for working very hard to make this small but important milestone and a pointer, a moment in our nation’s history to remind us of what can be done if we work together in the direction we must take travelling forward,” said Prime Minister Marape.

“UPNG, let this campus go. This country needs its own medical university. The statistics is compelling – the doctor-to-patient ratio in Papua New Guinea is among the lowest in the world. For 10 million people, we now need up to 10,000 doctors to be on par with world levels.

“This is why it is of the utmost importance to get this university up at the earliest, and I give to you our government’s fullest commitment to getting this university up as soon as possible. Before we step out into the 2030’s, this campus must be fully functional to meet the needs of our country going forward.

“We hope as we set up the new university, enrolment increases, vacancies are filled, and we get to employ enough doctors in the country and send doctors and medical practitioners out to our region.”

The Prime Minister said he sees the strong value of having the medical university independent of the University of PNG and functioning symbiotically with the Port Moresby General Hospital – both because of their physical location next  to each other and professionally because of the relationship of the work they do. He said his government is determined to upgrade PMGH to a Level 7 status hospital as it develops the new university to its highest potential.

“Port Moresby General Hospital is in a symbiosis with this university. Our government will invest heavily in the cancer facility and soon we will open this facility which will be the best cancer treatment facility in the Pacific, comparable to Australian standards. We have stepped up on the heart facility. We witnessed the first heart bypass in 50 years. And I witnessed the first two successful kidney transplant, another first for our country.

“Our government will keep investing in PMGH to take it to a Level 7, fully-run specialist hospital as well as embracing general duties for the rest of the country.

“Utilising latest technology, this university will train highly qualified Papua New Guineans to serve all the needs in our country,” said PM Marape.

The University of Medicine and Health Sciences project is a national project. It began after an NEC decision was taken in 2017 but delayed when the former UPNG council went to court challenging the decision to stop the splitting of UPNG. Project restarted after Sir Robert took chancellorship of UPNG and Prime Minister Marape resumed the momentum to instal a separate university that would concentrate on producing doctors and medical practitioners to fill the wide gap in the health sector in the country.

The multipurpose hall is the first of several buildings in the project’s phase 1 plan. It is estimated it will take up to three years to get the new university functioning from completion of all building infrastructure to transferring the administrative functions from UPNG, and taking enrolments.

The opening event of the multipurpose hall today at the medical faculty 3 Mile campus was witnessed by the students and staff of the faculty, American Am- bassador to PNG, Ann Marie Yastishock;  Minister for Health Hon. Elias Kapa- vore; Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and Sports, Hon. Kinoka Feo; leading PNG medical professional and mentor, Profes- sor Sir Isi Kevau; Sir Igara and Prof. Tefuarani; and invited members of the gov- ernment and private sector.