Briefs

Students urged to keep calm
Autonomous Region of Bougainville students who are studying at the University of Goroka have been urged to remain calm during the Covid-19 pandemic. South Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu met with students from the Autonomous region of Bougainville on Wednesday, after they were uncertain if they would return home. “We are ready to move them once flights are opened and if the situation gets out of hand,” Masiu said.

Committee thanks staff
Chairman of the Western Highlands Covid-19 coordination committee and provincial administrator Joseph Neng has thanked the health staff for their efforts in avoiding the virus. Neng said Mt Hagen city could be a dangerous centre because more than 3,000 people transited there on a daily basis and it was also the centre of the Highlands. He said so far, the provincial government had given K200,000 to the health authority and K100,000 to police for operations.

Hospital in full operation
THE Mt Hagen hospital will be in full operation this week to work on any Covid-19 cases in the province, Western Highlands health authority clinical director Dr Paulus Ripa says. Dr Ripa said arrangements at the hospital had been done with the isolation centre, which would be completed, to prepare to be in full operation this week. He said they prepared a 12-bed centre with nurses, doctors and security on shift duty.

Governor thankful for facility
Northern Governor Gary Juffa has thanked the National Airports Corporation, the Oro health authority and the Higaturu Oil Palm for establishing a Covid-19 airport processing facility at Popondetta’s old terminal. “We have survived all types of diseases and pandemics that are hardly declared and we will survive this,” Juffa said.

Office scales down operations
The Auditor-General’s office has scaled down its operations and suspended all field audits until further notice, according to acting auditor-general Gordon Kega. “Business hours will be from 9am to 2pm each working day during the SOE period and the office will only attend to important and pressing matters.

Domestic flights cancelled
PNG Air says all its domestic flights have been cancelled until further notice in compliance with the Government’s state of emergency directives. The management said the cancellation was effective from Friday and urged passengers who had travel booked for Friday (April 17) to contact the airline on 7411-2644.

City urged to work together
NCD Governor Powes Parkop has urged city residents to work together to fight Covid-19. “Please put away your skepticisms, big headedness, stubbornness, cross-fights and come together as one city, one people with one aim – to have a Covid-19 contained outcome,” Parkop said.

Call for unity to fight Covid-19
The Motu Koita assembly has urged its community to work with the assembly to fight Covid-19 in Port Moresby. “Despite all the ridicule we have copped from members of our community, we will continue to fight the good fight,” it said on Facebook.

Gates installation in process
The Motu Koita assembly in NCD is in the process of installing permanent gates at the following entry points of Motu Koita villages: Hanuabada-Konedobu entrance to the village, Hanuabada-Kavari entrance, Pari-Doru entrance, Tatana-Araira entrance.