Action plans needed for virus

ALARM bells should be ringing with news of our international neighbours reporting confirmed cases of the Coronavirus.
Globally, there are 29 countries affected by Covid-19 as of Feb 24, 2020.
WHO director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it’s time to act and people need to take a reality check now and really understand that an all-of-government and an all-of-society approach (is required).
It’s time to act.
Deputy Prime Minister Davis Steven last weekend said the Government, had taken steps to ensure that the Covid-19 does not enter our country.
Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand, the closest to PNG have reported confirmed cases.
All three are developed nations that have the capacity to respond to such outbreaks so how can smaller Pacific Island nations including PNG respond to this outbreak?
It is a time bomb.
The Government said more than 17,500 people arriving on 287 flights were screened to prevent the spread as part of its prevention effort.
Seven of them were classified as “persons of interest” with samples collected and tested at the Institute of Medical Research in Goroka but none returned positive.
The question is where those persons of interest are while waiting for testing to been done, self-quarantine or were they monitored?
Even with the lab tests, we have received information that the samples have been sent to Melbourne for further tests because we do not have the capacity to confirm it here in Goroka.
While the emergency preparedness and response has gained support from partners including the World Health Organisation(WHO), Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders, governments of Australia and New Zealand, the country does not have the equipment, facility and capacity to deal with this.
The people want to know what’s going to happen when it comes into the country.
Where will those who have the virus be quarantined? What is the treatment plan and how will they ensure that it does not spread?
While we do not want to cause panic and anxiety on reporting about the treatment plan, it should be made public so everyone is aware of what will happen.
We cannot deny that fake news spread like wild fire and that is why the truth must always be told.
The people should know that accurate information about Covid-19 will be released by the Health department and the World Health Organisation.
The message of practicing hand hygiene (wash your hands regularly with soap and water), respiratory hygiene (cover your cough), and food safety (cook food well before eating) as a prevention measure for yourself as well as your family members and your community should have a targeted audience – schools, hospitals and all public places.
All those responsible should increase mass communication in all forms of media to educate every one of us what to do to stay safe from this disease.
WHO’s Dr Maria Van Kerkhove had this to say and we concur with her: “… the earlier we act and how robustly in those initial cases, will determine if you’re dealing with a number of cases, one case, or a small cluster, or if you’re dealing with hundreds or thousands”.
For now, it should no longer be the question of if anymore, it should be about when the virus gets into the country.
Our people want to know about that aggressive action plan that will be implemented to contain the virus when PNG reports its first confirmed case.