Papua New Guinea

Saving lives

Results to June 2012

• Delivered essential drugs to 706 health centres and 2,101 aid posts across PNG (2,807 in total) accounting for 95 per cent of all health centres and 96 per cent of aid posts.
• Vaccinated 171,371 children against measles and 21,600 with pentavalent vaccine.
• Trained 49 new qualified midwives, plus 47 undergraduate doctors, 16 specialist doctors, 72 specialist nurses, 15 public health postgraduates.
• Helped more than 72,000 people to find out their HIV status.
• Provided 10,494 adults and children with lifesaving HIV treatment, including to 28 per cent of HIV positive mothers.
• Distributed 25 million condoms.

Commitments 2012–13

• Procurement and distribution of five rounds of 100 per cent medical supply kits to more than 2,700 health facilities.
• Increase proportion of children receiving three doses of pentavelent vaccine and boost measles vaccination.
• Graduation of 70 new qualified midwives and 20 community health workers under quality conditions.
• Continue to increase access to HIV testing and treatment.
• Distribution of more than 20 million condoms and increase condom use by those most at risk.
• Continue to improve TB management in Western Province.
• Distribution of emergency obstetric care equipment to all health centres and district hospitals.

More information on saving lives

Promoting opportunities for all

Results to June 2012

• Funded the abolition of school fees for first three grades of basic education in 2010 and 2011, enabling more than 535,000 children to get free education.
• Delivered 1.5 million textbooks to 3,500 schools in 2011.
• Completed the construction of 506 new classrooms and 430 other school buildings in 2010.
• Supported increased basic education (grade 8) completion rates, with an increase from 41.1 per cent in 2007 to 57.5 per cent in 2010.
• Supported an additional 29,681 children enrolled in basic education in 2011, compared to 2010.

Commitments 2012–13

• Abolish school fees for first three grades of basic education and help achieve free education to Year 10.
• Construct 280 classrooms and 140 teacher houses.
• Encourage greater gender equality by giving Australian Scholarships to 75 women per year.
• Fund 20 awards to 2016–17 for young rural people to undertake teacher education in PNG institutions.
• Combat violence against women.

More information on promoting opportunities for all

Sustainable economic development

Results to June 2012

• 2,310 km of national roads and highways maintained, which improved rural access to Goroka and Lae.
• 16 airports are currently safety certified.
• Mobile market information service provided to 300 farmers, increasing the volume of vegetables traded.
• Policy guidance and economic modelling provided for drafting of legislation for PNG’s Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Improve food security and rural productivity by maintaining 2,310 km of national roads and highways.
• Improved transport safety in maritime and aviation sectors.
• Help the GoPNG manage resource projects to benefit all Papua New Guineans, by providing assistance to establish the laws and regulatory frameworks for the LNG project and associated Sovereign Wealth Fund; and postgraduate scholarship opportunities for PNG officials in relevant areas.

More information on sustainable economic development

Effective governance

Results to June 2012

• 1,500 public servants trained through the Public Sector Workforce Development program in 2011.
• The Economic and Public Sector Program (EPSP) and Strongim Gavman Program (SGP) improved internal audit capacity of PNG agencies with 28 audit committees established to date.
• 700 female village court magistrates recruited and trained by 2011, up from 10 in 2004.
• 1,500 young people ‘at risk’ have given community service in return for training or work placements in 2010.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Support human resources, public sector systems and institutions to strengthen financial management and public accountability.
• Support law and justice agencies and communities in crime prevention, policing, courts, legal aid, prisons, restorative justice and the Ombudsman.

More information on effective governance

Humanitarian and disaster response

Results to June 2012

• Emergency supplies and health specialists for NGOs/World Health Organisation to treat cholera in eight provinces in 2010.
• Distribution of emergency supplies to 2,700 people displaced by conflict in Bulolo in 2010.
• Emergency relief and hygiene promotion to 11,100 people affected by Oro Province floods in 2011.
• 250 blankets and bedding provided through the Red Cross to victims of the MV Rabaul Queen ferry disaster in 2012.
• Emergency relief in 2012 for the Southern Highlands land slip and flooding in South Fly.

Commitments 2012–2013

• Support PNG's responses to outbreaks of disease.

More information on humanitarian and disaster response

Official Development Assistance to Papua New Guinea, 2001-02 to 2012-13

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a. Excludes global and regional expenditure
b. AusAID budget estimated outcome, as released in Budget Paper No.2, May 2011 and OGD expenditure, AusAID OGD Survey, June 2011
c. Budget estimate as released in Budget Paper No.2, May 2011

The graph above shows the Australian Official Development Assistance to PNG, including AusAID funding and funding by Other Government Departments (OGD).

The exact values are as follows:

• 2001–02: AusAID $314,174,400, OGD $13,777,400
• 2002–03: AusAID $314,849,400, OGD $16,642,800
• 2003–04: AusAID $309,985,200, OGD $11,334,000
• 2004–05: AusAID $312,103,000, OGD $37,623,500
• 2005–06: AusAID $297,354,600, OGD $21,749,700
• 2006–07: AusAID $322,639,000, OGD $17,996,800
• 2007–08: AusAID $361,560,200, OGD $13,861,000
• 2008–09: AusAID $371,862,100, OGD $20,163,800
• 2009–10: AusAID $424,943,900, OGD $22,388,900
• 2010–11: AusAID $414,359,400, OGD $18,843,300
• 2011–12: AusAID $469,072,300, OGD $23,674,000
• 2012–13: AusAID $474,520,100, OGD $18,653,900

ODA by strategic goal

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The graph above shows Australian Official Development Assistance to Papua New Guinea by strategic goal.

The exact values are as follows (%):

• 2012-13
  Saving lives: 23
  Promoting opportunities for all: 23
  Sustainable economic development: 18
  Effective governance: 26
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 0
  Cross cutting: 10
• 2011-12
  Saving lives: 23
  Promoting opportunities for all: 20
  Sustainable economic development: 17
  Effective governance: 32
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 0
  Cross cutting: 8
• 2010-11
  Saving lives: 19
  Promoting opportunities for all: 22
  Sustainable economic development: 19
  Effective governance: 29
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 0
  Cross cutting: 10
• 2009-10
  Saving lives: 19
  Promoting opportunities for all: 19
  Sustainable economic development: 18
  Effective governance: 37
  Humanitarian and disaster response: 1
  Cross cutting: 7

Other ODA in Whole of Government 2010-11 to 2011-12

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a. Excludes global and regional expenditure
b. OGD expenditure, AusAID OGD Survey, June 2011

The graph above shows the Australian Official Development Assistance to Papua New Guinea by Other Government Departments.

The exact values are as follows:

• Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  2010–11: $97,200
  2011–12: $339,500
• Attorney-Generals—Australian Federal Police
  2010–11: $8,099,400
  2011–12: $13,046,000
• Attorney-Generals—Customs and Border Protection
  2010–11: $925,400
  2011–12: $23,600
• Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
  2010–11: $1,749,300
  2011–12: $3,477,200
• Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
  2010–11: $966,000
  2011–12: $477,300
• Finance and Deregulation
  2010–11: $787,900
  2011–12: $758,500
• Health and Ageing
  2010–11: $631,600
  2011–12: $1,475,000
• Immigration and Citizenship
  2010–11: $1,731,500
  2011–12: $2,955,600
• Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
  2010–11: $209,000
  2011–12: $984,700
• Infrastructure and Transport
  2010–11: $11,100
  2011–12: -
• Reserve Bank of Australia
  2010–11: $9,800
  2011–12: $75,900
• States and territories
  2010–11: $38,200
  2011–12: $51,700
• Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
  2010–11: $3,586,800
  2011–12: $9,000

Research overview

Good research can lead to better outcomes for the world’s poorest by improving the evidence base for policies and programs. That’s why AusAID is committed to an innovative research portfolio. Research funded by AusAID’s PNG country program specifically targets priority development challenges.

More information on how AusAID funds research

World Bank Integrated Bio-Behavioural survey (IBBS)

This population based survey of 12,000 people will increase the understanding of HIV transmission patterns by:

• creating more accurate HIV prevalence estimates
• revealing demographics and behaviours (risk factors) associated with HIV
• creating an index of stigma and discrimination at regional levels.

The large size of the proposed sample means robust data can be provided to evaluate different levels of prevalence by gender, age, and regions. Understanding the drivers of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the dynamics of transmission will enable better targeting of the national response.

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research–AusAID partnership for PNG agriculture (2008–2012)

This program supports research and development activities for the efficient and sustainable use of resources for more productive and sustainable agricultural systems. Through applied technical, social, economic and policy research, the program aims to achieve practical impacts for PNG smallholders, consumers, industry and government.

For example, a cocoa pod borer (CPB) management project that concluded in 2011 found that cocoa production in East New Britain fell by more than 60 per cent following the CPB incursion in 2005. This research program has developed a management strategy for farmers to mitigate the effects of CPB with remarkable results. After adopting this strategy, cocoa farmers have obtained yields up to 10 times higher than achieved when applying the previous management strategy.

Institute of Medical Research Support Program

The PNG Institute of Medical Research (IMR) undertakes research programs in six priority research disciplines: mosquito-borne diseases, respiratory diseases, sexual health, disease surveillance, infectious diseases and therapies, and operational research. The IMR’s research makes an important contribution to improved health outcomes in PNG, particularly in the areas of malaria, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, HIV/sexual health and maternal health.

In 2008–09, IMR conducted the first country-wide survey of the number of households that owned a mosquito net treated with insecticide, which was 65 per cent of households in 2008–09 and rose to 85 per cent 2011. The increase in mosquito nets was followed by reductions in reported malaria cases in many parts of PNG.

Findings from recent IMR studies conducted on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis have been adopted by the National Department of Health for treatment standards nationwide.

The IMR Sexual and Reproductive Health program is focused on National AIDS Council priorities/needs. A number of studies have been commissioned to focus on cervical cancer and high-risk human papillamavirus (HPV) which is increasing among women in PNG. The IMR will continue to focus on supporting the NDoH’s National Health Plan priorities to improve health in the country which is their primary goal.

In 2012, IMR is expanding into studies on safe motherhood and maternal health.

PNG Household Income and Expenditure Survey

The latest Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) was managed by the PNG National Statistics Office with support from AusAID and the World Bank. The survey covered just over 4,000 households in PNG and covered rural and urban households. It has three main objectives:

• to assist in calculating household expenditure which will be used in updating the PNG National Accounts
• to generate household consumption data that will be used to rebase the Consumer Price Index which is currently based on a weighting from a 1975–76 survey
• to enable the improved analysis of livelihoods and poverty in PNG, including the calculation of a Poverty Line.

Where is Papua New Guinea?

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Demographic and development statistics for PNG