Hospital Redevelopment

When EBHS took over the reins in 1997, Kompiam was really only a health centre level facility, with no staff housing at all available to us, no laboratory, no X-ray facilities – not even a laundry.

As services improved the demand for them has also increased, with people travelling from other parts of the province to come here for treatment. It was clear early on that we were going to need to expand.

In 2006 with help from Vicki Leo, an architect friend in Australia, we began a master planning exercise, trying to envision just exactly what we might need into the future.

In 2007 we were very blessed to have the major assistance of Architects Without Frontiers and Engineers Without Borders, who took Kompiam on as a major project. They sent architects, surveyors, and hospital planners; and later many others contributed to start to put flesh on the dry bones of our visions. To date AWF and EWB have contributed thousands of man hours to this project, with an estimated value of over A$750,000 donated professional time. We also received great support from what was the PNG Sustainable Development Program.

Initially progress was hampered by a lack of funding for the construction and logistics, but since 2012 the hospital has received a steady stream of financial support for the project as well as a few very experienced Australian builders able to supervise the construction. Mick O’Donnell oversaw construction from 2012 through to the end of 2015 and since then Mel Kroenert, son of one of the first missionaries to some into this area, has been coming up periodically to work on and supervise the project. Thus much progress has been made.

To date, the paediatric ward, kitchen and maternity ward have all been completed and badly needed maintenance on staff houses is continuing to be done. 2017 saw work begin on stage 3 of the 5 stage plan, a new wing which contains two operating theatres, an x-ray room, a mortuary and a sterilising facility. This was completed in early 2019 and is now fully operation.

Kompiam District Hospital is unique in PNG, being the only hospital that is fully solar powered for both clinical and residential areas. Initially we made the move from kerosene lanterns to 12V solar lights, but in 2012 started to use 240V solar to power the clinical area. Then major upgrade of the system in 2019 saw us complete the entire system, with all hospital functions powered 24 hours a day, and 32 residential houses powered from 7am to 10pm.

Currently we are working on the next phase of the project which is the new Outpatients/Emergency block, the Dispensary, and the Dental suite. We hope to be completing this by mid 2020.

In 2019 we had further support from the Australian Government to help us finish the entire clinical space at Kompiam, including the ward expansion and the Rural Clinical School. We hope to be commencing these the last of the project, in 2022.

In the process we are also training local young men to do a lot of the work, thereby building local skills and sustainability as well as keeping costs right down.

Click on the links below to see copies of plans and recent photos.

Redevelopment plans and layout

Building models