Relief goods reach Yapsie flood victims
By GABRIEL FITO
ALL relief supplies earmarked for more than 2,000 flood-devastated Yapsie people in Telefomin, Sandaun, had finally reached them last week.
Telefomin district administrator Conrad Tilau said yesterday the supplies, which included food and medicine, among others, were flown into the area on a third-level airline last Thursday.
Mr Tilau said the disbursement of the relief supplies was made possible by the National Disaster and Emergency Service in Port Moresby which chartered an aircraft to carry the supplies to the affected villages as the provincial administration lacked available funds.
He also confirmed reported cases of diarrhoea and whooping cough outbreak in the area but could not confirm if there were any deaths.
However, Sandaun provincial health adviser reported that at least one child had died and two others were fighting for their lives at a very isolated Wauru aid post in Yapsie, following an outbreak of whooping cough in the area.
He said 40 others who contracted the disease had also been kept within the vicinity of the aid post for treatment.
Cases of diarrhoea had also increased to over 60 but no deaths were reported, he said.
Following the outbreak, the only two officers at Yapsie health centre have been moved to Wauru to attend to these cases while the health centre is now left without a health worker.
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