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Why Papua New Guinea needs the private sector in health

Stephanie Copus Campbell and Mahesh Patel

Published
23 Sept 2026

PNG's health system can't do it alone. Two industry insiders make the case for smarter, safeguarded private-sector partnerships in health care.DisclosureThe authors’ interests are as disclosed in their biographical summaries. CPL Group’s medical supplies arm, CP MedLab and Supplies, distributes diagnostic and pharmaceutical products in PNG and the South Pacific, including under a distribution partnership with ERBA Mannheim.About the author/sStephanie Copus CampbellStephanie Copus Campbell is Chair of City Pharmacy Limited, Chair of the CPL Foundation and a founding Director of Femili PNG. She was previously Executive Director of the Oil Search (Santos) Foundation (2014–2022), Chair of the Southern Highlands Provincial Health Authority Board (2018–2023) and served as Australia's Ambassador for Gender Equality (2023–2025).Mahesh PatelSir Mahesh Patel OBE is a Fiji-born pharmacist who co-founded CPL Group in Papua New Guinea in 1987 and built it into the country's largest retailer. He stepped back from his executive and board chair roles in May 2026 and is now Chairman Emeritus of CPL Group.

PNG's health system can't do it alone. Two industry insiders make the case for smarter, safeguarded private-sector partnerships in health care.Disclosure The authors’ interests are as disclosed in their biographical summaries. CPL Group’s medical supplies arm, CP MedLab and Supplies, distributes diagnostic and pharmaceutical products in PNG and the South Pacific, including under a distribution partnership with ERBA Mannheim. About the author/s Stephanie Copus Campbell Stephanie Copus Campbell is Chair of City Pharmacy Limited, Chair of the CPL Foundation and a founding Director of Femili PNG. She was previously Executive Director of the Oil Search (Santos) Foundation (2014–2022), Chair of the Southern Highlands Provincial Health Authority Board (2018–2023) and served as Australia's Ambassador for Gender Equality (2023–2025). Mahesh Patel Sir Mahesh Patel OBE is a Fiji-born pharmacist who co-founded CPL Group in Papua New Guinea in 1987 and built it into the country's largest retailer. He stepped back from his executive and board chair roles in May 2026 and is now Chairman Emeritus of CPL Group.

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