Fears of catastrophe as rising COVID-19 cases hit Papua New Guinea s stretched health system
Even as many countries around the world are reaching what they hope is the beginning of the end of the pandemic, a new coronavirus tragedy is just starting to unfold on Australia s doorstep. 12 March 2021
Even as many countries around the world are reaching what they hope is the beginning of the end of the pandemic, a new coronavirus tragedy is just starting to unfold on Australia s doorstep.
Our closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, which until recently remained relatively untouched by the virus, has been plunged into a COVID-19 crisis, with knock-on effects reaching our shores.
Fears of catastrophe as rising COVID-19 cases hit Papua New Guinea s stretched health system
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Fears of catastrophe as rising COVID-19 cases hit Papua New Guinea s stretched health system - 11-Mar-2021
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Papua New Guinea s Health Minister Jelta Wong
Photo: EMTV
PNG s Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee has granted approval for use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the country.
PNG s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is nearing 2000, with around 800 new cases reported in the past five weeks.
The Health Minister Jelta Wong said a lot of the cases were health workers We want all our nurses and frontliners all trained up before the vaccine comes so that we can roll straight out, he said. The first lot of the vaccine we are probably looking at in about two to three weeks time. We should have our staff trained well enough to go to other areas to make sure that the frontliners are vaccinated.
Downtown Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
After the loan agreement was signed in Port Moresby, Treasurer, Ian Ling-Stuckey said the national revenue dropped by 20 percent last year due to the pandemic.
He said the government had reached out for international support to sustain the devastated economy.
The
National newspaper reports the loan is in line with the government policy to replace expensive commercial loans with cheaper transitional financing.
The funds will reportedly support regional health centres so they can address Covid-19.
JICA will disburse about $US281.5 million to aid the national budget with an interest rate of 0.1 percent per annual and four-year grace period.