Leadership & governance
The Authority is overseen by a provincial health board and run day to day by an executive management team, with the four directorates delivering services across the province.
The Provincial Health Board
The board holds the Authority to account — approving strategy and budgets, monitoring performance, and appointing the executive that runs the health system.
Dame Maria Kopkop
Chairs the New Ireland Provincial Health Board, setting the governance direction and strategic priorities of the Authority. She is at present the only woman chairing a Provincial Health Authority board anywhere in Papua New Guinea.
Full roster to be published
The remaining members of the Provincial Health Board, along with their appointed roles and the organisations they represent, are not listed here yet. The complete board membership will be published on this page once the names and positions have been confirmed by the Authority.
Placeholder — these details will be published once confirmed by the Authority.
Executive management
The executive team turns board decisions into services — running the hospital, the health centres and the public health programs, and managing staff, money and supplies.
Dr Stennard Hiasihri
Heads the executive management of the Authority, with overall responsibility for clinical and public health services, partnerships, and the day-to-day running of the provincial health system.
Directorate leadership
Each of the four directorates — Curative Health, Public Health, Corporate and Executive Services — is led by a director reporting to the Chief Executive Officer. The names of the four directors will be added to this page once they have been confirmed by the Authority.
Placeholder — these details will be published once confirmed by the Authority.
Our governance model
One board, one chief executive, four directorates — a single line of accountability from village aid post to provincial strategy.
Since the One Health System merger of 2016–17, hospital care and public health in New Ireland have been governed as one organisation rather than two. That structure has three layers, and each has a distinct job.
The board governs
The Provincial Health Board sits above the organisation. It sets strategic direction in line with the National Health Plan, approves plans and budgets, oversees risk and performance, and appoints and holds the Chief Executive Officer to account. It does not manage services directly.
The Chief Executive Officer leads
The CEO is answerable to the board for the whole health system. Everything the Authority does operationally — clinical standards, program delivery, staffing, procurement and partnerships — comes together at this level.
The directorates deliver
Four directorates carry the work. Curative Health runs clinical services at the provincial hospital and the facilities below it. Public Health runs immunisation, maternal and child health, disease control and community outreach. Corporate Services handles people, money, supplies and assets. Executive Services covers planning, governance support and partnerships.
Because the directorates share one budget and one plan, a decision about a health centre and a decision about an outreach patrol can be weighed against each other rather than made in isolation. Read more about the four directorates.
Enquiries for the Authority
For governance questions, media requests or partnership proposals, get in touch with our office in Kavieng.