The Secretary of Health in Papua New Guinea is optimistic health officials can resolve an industrial dispute with most of the country's doctors, which led to a strike last week.
The National Court on Friday ruled the strike illegal and directed the doctors to return to work.
Nearly 500 members of the Papua New Guinea Doctors' Association had been off work over demands for better salaries and other allowances.
The Secretary of Health Dr Clement Malau says plans are underway to try and address the doctors' demands.
"I'm very confident in the fact that the Department of Personnel Management led by Secretary Kali has actually written and advised his minister to take into consideration many of the doctors' demands, which are in fact over and above the standard public service requirements."
Dr Clement Malau says he expects the court to endorse their schedule for the resolution of the dispute early next week.
