The Tininga Group of Companies has this year once again come to the aid of paediatric patients from Western Highlands requiring open heart operation by sponsoring their travel and accommodation costs.

The company which continues to support such worthy courses each year has this time made a donation of K16,000 to send 15 children with heart disease from Mt Hagen to Lae and Port Moresby for further screening and operations.

The donation is to assist the Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority (WHPHA) pay for transport, airfares, accommodation and meals for the children and their guardians as well as a doctor and nursing officer who are required to accompany them to both Lae and Port Moresby.

Whilst those requiring a closed heart operation would be sent directly to Port Moresby later this month, others would travel to Lae for further screening and assessment by a visiting cardiologist before being sent to Port Moresby for surgery if required.

Tininga Managing Director, Pat Duckworth said when presenting the cheque last week that the Mt Hagen-based retailer was proud to partner with the WHPHA in many ways and saw the partnership as a way to help the wider community of Western Highlands and the surrounding provinces.

“Tininga has been assisting with the WHPHA Heart Patient Project for several years now and is pleased to be able to make a difference to the lives of the children involved”, Mr Duckworth said.

Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority’s Director Medical Services, Dr Jonah Kurubi when accepting the cheque thanked Mr Duckworth for his continued support.

He said the WHPHA and the children with heart problems and their parents were very thankful to Tininga for helping to give these children a second chance in life.

“On behalf of the WHPHA and its senior management, I thank you for your continued support over the years which will make a difference in these children’s lives and wish you every success in your operations”, Dr Kurubi said.