PNG Defence Force Lends Warehouse to COVID-19 Response
Papua New Guinea Defence Force has given one of its stores to be used as a warehouse free -of-charge for the supplies for the coronavirus disease response.
Deputy Controller for the National Pandemic Response Dr Dakulala thanked PNGDF for its help, saying partnership is very important in the response.
“We have a huge challenge in the National Capital District. The numbers are continuing to rise. We are also having a huge problem in Western Province. We also have numbers coming up in Morobe and also 10 other provinces.’’
Dr Dakulala, who is also the Acting Health Secretary for the National Department of Health, was speaking on Friday at the new warehouse in Murray Barracks, Port Moresby. The store has been given as part of PNGDF’s ongoing support to the COVID-19 response.
Dr Dakulala said PNGDF soldiers are frontliners in the response as the others like the police personnel and the health workers who all need the Personal Protection Equipment that will be stored in the warehouse.
He thanked the PNGDF personnel working at the store or warehouse and urged that they ensure these items are safe and secure.“One of the challenges we had was with security with the supplies because many people want to buy them off,’’ he said.
“These are supplies for the frontliners, including PNGDF who are working in the community or wherever they are.’’
Dr Dakulala also added that these items must be sent out as soon as possible to the provinces and communities where they are needed.
The first lot of supplies that were moved into this warehouse arrived on Friday from overseas, brought in by the World Health Organisation.
The supplies, worth US$ 45, 935 and weighing 830 kg composed of PPE and laboratory supplies. The PPE include gloves, face shields, googles and face masks. The laboratory supplies included GeneXpert cartridges and Universal Transport Mediums (for nasopharyngeal swabs and RNA extraction kits). The GeneXpert cartridges were bought with the support of the governments of Australia and New Zealand.
Dr Dakulala also thanked WHO for the newly-arrived supplies which is the fifth order from WHO so far.
He said WHO is not only buying supplies but is also providing technical help in the response for which NDOH is thankful.
WHO country representative Dr Luo Dapeng said a soldier’s weapon is a gun while a health worker‘s is a PPE which also protects the patient which must be available in the health system.
He said a pandemic of this nature happens usually after every 100 years with the COVID-19 not likely to end soon.“We are not going to finish soon unless we have a vaccine,’’ he said. “We will need your support for quite a long time.’’
“Everyday, you see so much increase and there is so much work.’’
Dr Dapeng said WHO will continue to support the government in the response and is thankful for the partnership from organisations like PNGDF.
PNGDF officer- in charge of Supply Company, Major Kuliaia Augustine, assured that the supplies were in good hands and that they were not just taking care of the warehouse but were also using their vehicles to help transport supplies to the villages in Central Province.
Meanwhile, according to the logistics team from the National Pandemic Response, every Provincial Health Authority should by now have 30,000 pieces of all the PPE they need. The new arrivals will be added to the supply they have in their stores awaiting to be used.
Statement
Next : Milne Bay Province Records First COVID-19 Case bringing PNG Total to 333 confirmed cases
Post a Comment