Prime Minister James Marape officially opened the iconic multi-million-kina Enga Provincial Hospital last Monday, after two decades of meticulous work involving experts from America, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. The new level five hospital started operations on Tuesday April 01, 2025. Important medical equipment needed for such a modern hospital have all been bought and installed. While the Marape-Rosso government funded nearly all the capital improvement works, including medical and non-medical equipment, there were few significant assistant partners that included the Australian government with A$ 7.5 million and K3 million from National Fisheries Authority to buy medical equipment. Local company Kumul Clothing assisted in kind with a K600 KVA Genset to support power supply to the new hospital. The Enga Provincial Hospital contract CSTB 3193 was completed in May 2022 but waited for the medical equipment to arrive and the recruitment of specialist staff to operate the new equipment, specialist doctors, and health professionals. Some new hospitals in the country which had been completed still remained inoperative because our country lacks the necessary specialist staff. The Enga Provincial Hospital has recruited additional specialist medical staff from overseas. Fifteen of them will arrive within the next two weeks. Another 35 medical specialists will come as soon as their work permits are approved. This will support the existing number of medical staff of the Enga Provincial Health Authority that will work in the new facility. The new hospital has been supported by three prime ministers, Late Sir Michael Somare, Peter O’Neil, and current prime minister James Marape. In 2014, the project was officially launched and handed over to the O’Neil- Dion government in Port Moresby when James Marape was Finance Minister. On Monday March 31, 2025, Marape had the honor to unveil the plaque, and Peter O’Neil was present to witness the historic occasion. They shook hands, signifying unity in development for the region and PNG as a whole. They were seated on each side of Governor Sir Peter Ipatas on the main grandstand. It was a formidable sight to behold for the three men to sit side by side together with many important dignitaries who included Chinese Ambassador Yang Xiaguang, NCDC Governor Powes Parkop, West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel, Deputy Governor Western Highlands, Michael Mai, Health Minister, Elias Kapavore, Planning Minister, Sir Ano Pala, Works Minister Solan Mirisim, many members of parliament, departmental heads, members of provincial health authorities from all highlands provinces and stake holders. This was the first time for Enga province to host many important leaders and first-time visitors to attend such a historic occasion. Chairman of the provincial health authority, Kenneth Andrew to introduce everybody as they kept arriving. A minor hiccup was a short wait for Marape to arrive from another important occasion in the Western province. While the start of the program involving a guard of honour and singing of the national anthem waited, important speakers were allowed to talk to the crowds. Chinese Ambassador, Yang Xiaoguang, Kapavore, Muthuvel and O’Neill were allowed to deliver their speeches. Just when Peter O’Neil ended his speech, Marape’s chopper landed at the helipad on the new hospital grounds. He arrived at the right moment when there were a few more speakers left. After he delivered his address, Marape and the important guests proceeded to the new hospital premises to unveil the plaque. There was some rain with the sun still shining in the sky for the brief period when Prime Minister James Marape handed the key over to Governor Sir Peter Ipatas. The new hospital was completed at a cost of over K600 million. In December, 2012, Prime Minister at the time and Ialibu-Pangia MP, Peter O’Neill made commitments in a National Executive Council meeting to fund the 150-bed hospital. Based on that crucial decision the Enga Provincial Government engaged specialist hospital designers based in the US to come up with detailed plans and designs which were handed over to the National Government in 2014. Physical construction of the project commenced in 2018 when an initial funding of USD 159.6 million became available through a Chinese Exim Bank preferential buyers credit loan. Actually, the O’Neill-Dion government tasked all provinces in PNG to propose three major impact projects for funding, and the new hospital was one of those selected for Enga province. It was designed to meet the pressing healthcare needs of Enga’s growing population and serve as a delivery model that could be replicated elsewhere in the country. In 2014, the plan was launched in Port Moresby in a big way where many key government ministers attended including National Planning Minister, Charles Abel, Health Minister Michael Malabag, Finance Minister at the time, James Marape, Mining Minister, Byron Chan, Environment and Conservation Minister John Pundari, Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato, consultants, senior health officials and other important dignitaries when the project was officially handed over to the national government. Up to that stage, K25 million had already been spent beginning in 2008 on various aspects of survey, master plans, preliminary designs and detailed architectural and engineering design work alone. A further K10 million was expended on land acquisition for the 35-hectare Leambus customary land, which is the current site of the new hospital. It is adjacent to the Aipus Rugby Oval in Wabag town, where the grand opening was staged on Monday last week.