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 | Staff gone finish | Ms Gare returns from Switzerland

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AusAID officials visit Yagaum

By Rhonda Clement

Three Technical officials from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) visited IMR Madang on the 15th of February 2008, to do a review on the Madang Human Resource Management (HRM).

Graduate Scientific Officer Ms Daphne Sepe (R) talking to the three AusAID officials who visited IMR Madang.

A need to review the Human Resource Management was highlighted during the Strategic Reference Group meeting held in Port Moresby in December last year.

AusAID’s Senior Program Officer for Health, Mr Robert Turare said that the reviewing of the HRM was decided on after a previous report, which highlighted the need to review the HRM in Yagaum.

According to the Aus AID technical officers, PNGIMR receives lots of funding from AusAID, therefore AusAID is very interested in PNGIMR’s capacity building.

“Capacity building is the process of developing and strengthening skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources of organisations, which in this case is IMR Madang HRM,” they said.

The review included intensive talks with the Site Manager Mr John Taime, followed by interviews with sections heads and some senior staff Issues discussed included; the challenges faced, which were preventing capacity building; staff participation and the infrastructure involved to enhance capacity building; and, training.

The officials included Alison Heywood former wife of pioneer Deputy Site Manager for Yagaum, Peter Heywood.

Alison said there was significant growth in the number of scientific national staff during the 20 years since she left.

She said that the expansion in scientific work definitely indicated administration growth to cater for this scientific expansion.

She stated that after the review report is tabled, the donor agency will look into areas where it can help to boost capacity building.