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Malaria fight treaty
By DAVID KAPI
A FUNDING agreement was signed on Wednesday
between the PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd (PNGSDP) and
Australian Doctors International Inc (ADI), a non-governmental
organisation based in Australia, in an effort to fight malaria.
PNGSDP chief executive officer Robert Igara and ADI field director
George McClelland signed the funding deal for bed nets roll-out
programme at its boardroom at the Pacific Place building.
PNGSDP Ltd, upon signing the agreement, made a commitment of more than
K241,000 which would allow ADI to buy and distribute 14,000 long life
impregnated nets (LLINS) to the isolated communities in the Star
Mountains, Olsobip, and Ningerum regions of the North Fly, as well as to
several small West Papuan refugee groups scattered along the border over
a three-month period in an effort to stamp out malaria related diseases.
Mr Igara said the funding would be used to assist in preventing the
transmission of malaria and filariasis caused by mosquitoes, making the
sufferer prone to other infections such as TB and elephantiasis.
“Malaria is one of the biggest killer diseases in PNG and particularly
affects 80% of the rural populace, therefore PNGSDP through its
community and social improvement programme is committing funds to serve
people of Fly and Western province,” he said.
The latest roll out is part of ADI’s ambitious programme to provide bed
nets to the 180,000 people where ADI had operated for the last six years
to fight preventable disease such as malaria.
 
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