THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has significantly boosted the National Referral Hospital (NRH) budget for medical laboratory supplies to $10 million for 2025.

Contributing to the debate on the 2025 Appropriation Bill 2024 in Parliament yesterday, MHMS Minister Dr Paul Bosawai highlighted that this increase, the first of its kind, will support the growing demand for screening and diagnostic tests.

The increase also aimed at addressing the gaps in disease detection and enhancing healthcare services in both urban and provincial areas.

This move comes after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended an increase in laboratory funding to support the expansion of specialised care.

The ministry’s new budget allocation is expected to improve the quality of diagnostic services, with the aim to detect high-risk contagious diseases, a capability that has been below standard.

Recent assessments revealed that NRH laboratories conducted over 219,000 tests in 2023, but only 345 of those tests were related to high-risk diseases.

The lack of adequate reagents has contributed to a decline in the lab’s quality, which has fallen below 50 percent, according to external evaluations.

With the increased budget, the Ministry plans to enhance testing frequency and improve overall lab standards.

Bosawai said this budget will assist newly established provincial laboratories, including those at Lata, Tara, Helena Goldie, and Good Samaritan Hospitals, ensuring that diagnostic support is available nationwide.

Additionally, as new specialized treatment services, including the comprehensive medical centre funded by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are developed, the increased budget will help meet the growing need for advanced diagnostic capabilities.