Illuminating Health

PNG is a challenging environment for the delivery of consistent medical care. Small communities spread over huge distances, poor health infrastructure and too few health workers are key constraints. With only roughly 13% of the population on mains power, something as simple as lack of lights poses a risk for health workers and patients alike.

THE CHALLENGE

Manus is an especially challenging environment to deliver lifesaving services. The Province has one hospital and two urban health clinics for an estimated population of 72,000 spread across 600 kilometres of sea from one end of the Province to the other.

In the event of emergency, for the 80-90% of people living in remote and rural areas, distance and fuel cost means aid posts are often the only source of medical services. Today, a majority of these are closed due to staff shortages. 

This increases the burden on health workers at open health facilities who are called to service even larger populations and travel further to deliver care, frequently at night and often without light for the journey or for treating patients.

OUR OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to support the Manus Provincial Health Authority (MPHA) achieve their goal of quality health care services to the Manus people.   

By delivering critical equipment to health workers Wantaim PNG aims to enhance healthcare delivery and uplift the wellbeing of entire rural communities where 80 to 90% of people live.

ILLUMINATING HEALTH PROGRAMME

In 2024 Wantaim PNG formed a partnership with Australian charity, Solar Buddy and in March 2024, Wantaim PNG was invited to be the first recipient of the Student Buddy Kit. 

The Student Buddy kit has 4 components: a powerful LED handheld torch, two rechargeable head torches, a 5W solar panel and a recharge station. Click here to read more about these incredible lights.

The handheld LED torch provides broad light while the head torch provide more directed light and, being hands free, ensure greater precision and efficiency.   The solar panel and recharge unit aligns with sustainable practices, reducing reliance on disposable batteries which are expensive and not always readily available in rural communities. 

The recharge unit powers not only the solar lights but also enables mobile phones to kept charged for co-ordinating essential patient referrals with distant health centres or the Provincial hospital.

Wantaim PNG began rolling out Student Buddy kits to rural health workers in the LMBC Local Level Government in March 2024.    As of June 2025, Student Buddy kits delivered to 32 sites throughout the Province.