Her Health Hub Officially Opens to Deliver Affordable Women’s Health Services in PNG

The City Pharmacy Limited Foundation Inc. (CPLF), in partnership with the Sir Brian
Bell Foundation (SBBF) has officially launched ‘Her Health Hub’—a groundbreaking
cervical cancer screening clinic dedicated to improving access to life-saving women’s
health services in Papua New Guinea. The launch follows a soft opening and MOU
signing event held on 8 April at the Hilton Hotel, which laid the groundwork for this
operational phase of the project.

The launch held today at Stop & Shop Badili marks a significant milestone in the fight
against cervical cancer in PNG. The clinic provides affordable, same-day cervical
cancer and HP V screening for just K20, with immediate referral pathways to Port
Moresby General Hospital’s Obstetrics & Gynaecology Clinic for women requiring
further treatment.

Cervical screening services at the Her Health Hub are fully aligned with the new HPV
screen-and-treat strategy which was endorsed nationally in 2021. HPV testing uses
the GeneXpert diagnostic system, endorsed by the World Health Organization to offer
rapid and reliable results for women at the clinic within hours. These advanced
technologies, along with essential equipment and ongoing operational support, have
been made possible through the generous backing of the Sir Brian Bell Foundation
and the technical expertise of Meddent, a division of the Brian Bell Group.

“We are proud to officially open Her Health Hub—a safe, accessible, and affordable
space for women in Papua New Guinea to take charge of their health,” said Priscillar
Napoleon, Project Manager for Her Health Hub. “Early detection saves lives, and this
initiative is designed to remove the barriers that have prevented women from seeking
preventive care for so long.”

The program builds on the successes of earlier innovative programs in Western
Highlands, Madang, New Ireland, Southern Highlands, and other provinces in PNG,
which have supported the introduction and scale-up of HPV-based cervical screening
and treatment for women, with support from philanthropic and development partners.
These programs have themselves been built on world-first research evidence from
landmark clinical studies led by the PNG Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR),
Kirby Institute UNSW Sydney, PNG Obstetrics & Gynaecology Society, and provincial
health authorities in Western Highlands and Madang.

Program partner Professor Andrew Vallely from Kirby Institute UNSW Sydney
commented, “We are delighted to see this landmark initiative moving ahead, which
builds on ongoing provincial-level programs led by inspirational colleagues and friends
in Western Highlands, Madang, New Ireland, Southern Highlands, and Hela, that we
are also extremely proud to support. It is wonderful to see how the world-first evidence
generated by the PNGIMR is translating into policy and clinical practice and saving
lives in PNG.”

Dr Paulus Ripa, who leads the cervical cancer elimination program in Western
Highlands Province, attended the launch event in Port Moresby. “I was delighted to be
invited to this foundational event, and for Western Highlands PHA to have the
opportunity to support this new endeavour through training, technical advice and
sharing of lessons learned from the cervical cancer screening and outreach program
in Western Highlands. We are absolutely thrilled that we will now be working together
in the fight to eliminate cervical cancer in PNG.”

The facility is staffed by specially trained healthcare professionals and has been
constructed and equipped to deliver world-class care in a local community setting. Her
Health Hub also forms part of a broader awareness and education campaign aimed at
reducing the stigma around reproductive health care, encouraging more women to
seek regular screenings, and ultimately, lowering cervical cancer rates across PNG.

Sir Brian Bell Foundation CEO Bronwyn Wright commented, “This is not just about
opening a clinic—it’s about changing lives and providing essential care to women. We
believe that through partnership, technology, and compassion, we can transform
women’s health outcomes in Papua New Guinea.”

Sir Mahesh Patel, OBE, Co-Founder, CPL Group and Chairman, CPL Foundation
Inc., said, “Today marks a turning point for women’s health in Papua New Guinea.
Her Health Hub is not just a service—it is hope, action, and empowerment. By
making vital screenings affordable and accessible, we are breaking barriers that
have cost too many lives. CPL Group stands committed to creating real, lasting
change for our women, our families, and our nation.”

Her Health Hub is now open to the public and located within the Stop & Shop premises
in Badili, Port Moresby. We look forward to providing women with excellent health care
in a supportive and safe environment.