The health facility funded by Lihir Gold (Lihir), which owns the Lihir gold mine in Papua New Guinea, is actively engaged in preventative programmes such as immunisation, malaria control and various public health education programmes including AIDS awareness, nutrition and driver safety.

Malaria is endemic throughout Papua New Guinea and as such, is at the forefront of Lihir's health care programme. Lihir has embarked on a comprehensive malaria control programme, involving the provision of mosquito nets (avoiding the parasite), residual spraying and larviciding (killing it) and improved drainage (destroying its breeding habitat).

The impact on the rates of malaria infection has been dramatic. Between 1998 and 2002, the incidence of malaria in villages close to the mine decreased from 67 per cent to a level close to the World Health Organisation standard of 10 per cent. Currently the programme covers six villages close to the mine and Lihir is developing a plan to expand this programme to the entire Lihir group of Islands.

Another mosquito-borne disease is filariasis (also known as elephantiasis). The malaria control programme will have the added benefit of reducing the spread of filariasis. Also, an additional yearly medication programme will assist in achieving the objective of completely eliminating filariasis throughout the Lihir Group of islands by 2005.

The Lihir Medical Centre plays a major role in capacity building and skills development of government and mission run health care providers. In addition, a system of village health volunteers is being introduced to encourage community involvement in health. Representatives chosen by the community are given basic training in aspects of health programmes and act as mediators between the health care providers and the community.

Maternal and child health is another key component of Lihir's preventative health programmes. A series of monthly outreach clinics is provided, catering for women's and children's health. Programmes offered include immunisation, growth monitoring and supervision of pregnancy. Children under five years of age are monitored on a monthly basis for growth and nutrition and mothers are encouraged to go to antenatal clinics and have supervised births. Since the introduction of the outreach clinics, immunisation rates for major illnesses such as measles, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus and tuberculosis have increased substantially.