Milne Bay Leads Efforts to Buy Medical Ship – PNG Loop

Milne Bay Province has led the way for provinces in the southern region with a K500, 000 cheque for the purchase of a new medical ship.
The ship known as MV Ammari is currently on a lease contract arrangement to YWAM (Youth With a Mission). YWAM has to pay a total of K14.4 million by December 4, 2014 to take full ownership of the ship.
The ship on its journey to the southern region in September visited Milne Bay and provided vital medical assistance, which include 100 sight restoring and vision correction services to the people in Alotau and Misima island.
In appreciation of this service, Governor Titus Philemon led the way to help with half a million kina.
The Milne Bay governor was joined by Minister for National Planning and Alotau MP Charles Abel who made a further commitment for the national government to contribute K1.5 million.
Minister Abel had already provided K4m of Church-State Partnership funds in late 2013, which help with the deposit payment for the medical ship.
Morobe Governor Kelly Kasiga Naru and Western Province Governor Ati Wobiro have also made significant pledges of K2m and K1m respectively in capital funds for the purchase of the medical vessel.
These cheque presentations and pledges were all made last Friday in Port Moresby during the YWAM fundraising night organised by InterOil Limited.
K1.18m was raised that night adding to a total K6.19 in cheque payments and pledges.
YWAM PNG Patron Sir Rabbie Namaliu said in the past year alone the YWAM program and its volunteers have performed more than 100 eye surgeries, distributed over 3000 spectacles, given almost 10,000 immunizations and delivered more than a tone of essential medicines to the people in locations they visited.
“This is just a selection of facts but you are getting the picture of a passionate group of people who are getting the job done,” he said.
A total of K14.4m which is the amount required settle the lease contract by 4 December 2014.
– See more at: http://www.pngloop.com/2014/11/26/milnebay-leads-efforts-buy-medical-ship/#sthash.S6IVRkxD.dpuf