A new appointment has been made to Papua New Guinea's embattled health department, after the current health secretary's contract expired this week.
Paison Dakulala will take over on a three month contract, after Pascoe Kase's contract expired on Monday and was not renewed.
Paison Dakulala. Photo: Supplied.
Mr Kase and the department have been under heavy scrutiny recently, during a public inquiry into the supply and distribution of medicine.
The chair of that inquiry had labelled Mr Kase's leadership a failure, while he was grilled about the awarding of the country's medicines contract to the controversial company, Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals.
In 2013, the government awarded Borneo Pacific the national medicine supply contract despite its bid being millions of dollars higher than those of other organisations, to the anger of many in the health sector.
Dr Dakulala had been the deputy secretary under Mr Kase, and was a specialist consultant before becoming deputy secretary in charge of health standards.