PAPUA New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said the government would move to strengthen St John Ambulance through legislation which would recognise its role as a national emergency service.
Marape told parliament the bill would define the organisation’s mandate, institutional arrangements, and its relationship with the state and the wider public health system.
He was responding to questions from Abau MP and opposition member Sir Puka Temu on the ambulance service’s operations, funding, and future.
“We recognise the important work St John Ambulance is doing in saving lives and responding to emergencies,” Marape said.
“The Government is looking at giving St John Ambulance the proper legal and institutional support it needs to continue serving our people.”
He said the move reflected the vital role St John Ambulance plays in emergency medical care, ambulance transport, and rapid response to accidents, medical emergencies, natural disasters, fires, disease outbreaks, and major public events.
He also said the government would continue examining sustainable funding arrangements to prevent service disruptions and expand coverage to more provinces and districts.
The prime minister said the service faced heavy operating costs, including ambulances, fuel, equipment, communications systems, emergency-response facilities and the recruitment and training of staff.
Papua New Guinea’s rugged geography and scattered population made emergency response particularly difficult in rural districts and provinces, he said.
St John Ambulance has deep roots in Papua New Guinea. The organisation was established in 1957, when the country was still the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, initially focusing on first-aid training before expanding into ambulance services, including childbirth emergencies.
After independence in 1975, its role grew as the health system modernised and demand for emergency response increased in Port Moresby, Central Province and other parts of the country.
Following independence, the government under Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare moved to formalise St John’s status as a Papua New Guinean statutory body.
Parliament later enacted the St John Council Incorporation Act 1976, which established the organisation’s objectives and created the National St John Council, now overseen by the Governor-General.
Marape said the proposed legislation would go through the usual government and parliamentary process and would be developed in consultation with ministries, departments and stakeholders.
“Our St John Ambulance personnel work under difficult conditions and respond to our citizens during their most vulnerable moments,” he said.
“On behalf of the Government, I thank them for their commitment to saving lives.”
