Australian Prime Minister visits PNGIMR headquarters | Mr Rudd congratulates PNGIMR for its outstanding work | AusAID Minister Counselor thanks PNGIMR | AusAID officials visit Yagaum | Australian Prime Minister's visit in pictures | EPO project officially closes | Government team visits Yagaum to outline assistance on relocation | This quarter in pictures | RD Canners Assistant Nursing officer recieves microscopy training in Yagaum | Knowledge on malaria exchanged | New staff | Staff gone finish | Ms Gare returns from Switzerland

Click here to download this newsletter in PDF format (240kB)

Australian Prime Minister visits PNGIMR headquarters

By Llane Munau

The Prime Minister of Australia Honourable Kevin Rudd, visited the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research on Friday 7th of March, during his visit to the Eastern Highlands provincial capital, Goroka.

Director of PNGIMR Professor Peter Siba meets Australian Prime Minister Mr Kevin Rudd at the PNGIMR Headquaters carpark.

The Prime Minister of Australia Honourable Kevin Rudd, visited the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research on Friday 7th of March, during his visit to the Eastern Highlands provincial capital, Goroka.

Mr Rudd was welcomed to the Institute’s headquarters by hundreds of school children and well-wishers who lined up along the hospital road leading to the Institute, waving Australian and Papua New Guinean flags.

Staff at the Institute, all dressed up for the occasion with their favorite attire, stood around the car park to welcome Mr Rudd and his delegation.

PNGIMR Director, Professor Peter Siba, met Mr Rudd and welcomed him to the Institute grounds.

He then introduced his senior staff to the Prime Minister before he led him into the Institute’s buildings.

Mr Rudd and Professor Siba walked along the corridor, whilst casually discussing the work done by the Institute.Their first stop was at the main notice board where pictures with captions of the work done in all PNGIMR sites was displayed.Mr Rudd asked many questions about the studies conducted in the Institute.

They later moved to the Bacteriology Laboratory where senior lab technician, Mrs Audrey Michael showed the Prime Minister around the lab and explained to him the work that is done there and the projects that they were involved with.

The PM spent 15–20 minutes in the lab talking to the working scientists and moved on to the Adolf Saweri Lecture Theater, where PNGIMR Director Professor Peter Siba gave a short presentation for Mr Rudd and his delegates about the work of the IMR in PNG and internationally and thanked the PM for the support given to the Institute by Australia through AusAID.

Mr Rudd then responded and said that his government will continue to support the IMR because IMR is at the forefront in countering diseases in the country. Professor Siba then gave the Mr Rudd a gift from the staff of PNGIMR and in return the Mr Rudd handed Professor Siba a gift.

Mr Rudd then moved on to IMR hauswin where he was met by some NGO groups. After talking to the NGO groups Mr Rudd was led back to the carpark where he left to visit other institutions and organisations in Goroka.