KAUPENA, Papua New Guinea — In the remote Imbonggu District of Southern Highlands Province, the Kaupena Health Centre stands as a vital lifeline for local communities, offering medical care under the stewardship of the Papua New Guinea Bible Church Inc. The church’s health ministry, which began in 1957, has grown into a network of three facilities serving the region, a testament to decades of missionary work and local leadership.

The health ministry was founded by Alma Bustin, a medical nursing officer and the wife of Rev. G.T. Bustin, who had established the church’s presence in the area nearly a decade earlier. Mrs. Bustin’s work in Kaupena laid the groundwork for basic healthcare services, training local nursing aides to support her efforts. Over the years, other missionaries, including Letina Bustin, Joanna Wehrman, and Beverley Wickham, expanded the initiative, focusing on holistic care that addressed both physical and spiritual needs.

When foreign missionaries departed in 1984, the responsibility shifted to local leaders. Mek Pure and his wife, Josephine Pure, both trained nursing officers, left their government jobs to take over the Kaupena facility, driven by a sense of calling. Today, Mr. Pure serves as the health secretary for the PNG Bible Church, overseeing the Kaupena, Pabarabuk, and Mele health centers.

The Kaupena Health Centre, operating in partnership with the government, employs 27 staff members, including a health extension officer, nursing officers, community health workers, and support staff. It provides a range of services—general healthcare, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, maternal health, tuberculosis treatment, and outpatient care—to residents of Imbonggu, parts of Southern Highlands, and neighboring Western Highlands. A full-time chaplain is also on staff, reflecting the church’s commitment to addressing both medical and spiritual well-being.

For the people of this rugged region, where access to healthcare remains a challenge, the Kaupena Health Centre represents more than just a medical facility. It embodies a legacy of care that has evolved over nearly seven decades, bridging the gap between faith and practical service in one of Papua New Guinea’s underserved areas.