Central Papua faces 447 health worker shortage in community health centres

Nabire - The Central Papua Health Department has recorded a shortage of 447 health workers to meet service standards at community health centres across eight regencies in the province. Head of the Central Papua Health Department, Agus, said in Nabire on Tuesday that out of 148 community health centres, only 12, or about 9.5%, have all nine types of health workers required for basic health service standards. ‘The remaining 122 centres do not meet health worker requirements, with a shortage of 447 staff,’ he said. The shortage comprises 55 general practitioners, 115 dentists, one nurse, 15 midwives, 32 health promotion officers, 65 environmental sanitation workers, 74 nutritionists, 62 pharmacists, and 55 Medical Laboratory Technicians (ATLM). Of the 148 centres, 127 are registered, and 60 to 70 have been accredited. The Central Papua Health Department is strengthening disease prevention through the Primary Care Integration (ILP) programme. However, ILP implementation cannot be optimal without adequate health workers at primary care facilities. ‘ILP cannot be realised without filling the 447 health worker positions,’ he said. To address the shortage, the regional government will optimise the Nusantara Sehat and Special Assignment (Tugsus) programmes from the Ministry of Health. He said Tugsus quotas in Central Papua should prioritise native Papuans residing in their home regions. He added this policy is crucial to ensure safety and sustainability of services in assigned areas. Additionally, the Health Department is pushing for affirmative action for non-civil servant or contractual health workers currently serving in facilities to be prioritised in civil servant (CPNS) and PPPK appointments. ‘We want the 447 health worker recruitment proposal to be more than just paper promises, but actually realised in local recruitment,’ he said. He added that Central Papua’s extreme geography and low population density result in limited health worker incomes due to low health service capitation claims. The scheme adopts the Teacher Professional Allowance (TPG) model, funded centrally through the national budget (APBN). ‘Health workers’ welfare should be measured by professional competence. This is a permanent solution to stop the exodus of health workers from remote areas,’ he said. He also said the Central Papua Health Department is developing data-driven health workforce plans aligned with field conditions, local budget capabilities, and civil servant position requirements.