Committee calls for awareness on coronavirus pandemic

THERE is need for more awareness on the coronavirus pandemic, according to the interim report on Covid-19 by the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on emergency.
The committee presented its first report on the pandemic state of emergency (SOE) to Controller David Manning and Prime Minister James Marape.
The need for more awareness was among the list of 35 preliminary recommendations identified by the committee that needed to be addressed immediately.
Committee chairman Robert Naguri, who is also the Bogia MP, said these recommendations were based on interviews, site visits and observations with relevant stakeholders.
He said the stakeholders interviewed included departments of Health, Education, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Immigration and Citizenship Authority, PNG Customs Services, National Airports Corporation, Air Niugini, Bank of Papua New Guinea and the PNG Business Council.
“Given the evolving nature of the Covid-19, the committee had resolved to report urgent and important issues surrounding the virus which need immediate attention during the SOE,” Naguri said.
“It would be of no benefit to provide outdated information after two months.”
Naguri said other recommendations included using formats and language relevant for ordinary Papua New Guineans, the identification of disposal facilities for Covid-19-infected material, including personal protective equipment and gazettal of proper areas for incineration or burial of these material and an investigation into faster testing procedures and production of test results. Other recommendations included proper training by specialists at provincial level of frontline personnel in Covid-19-affected provinces and others considered as hotspots, identification of a proper process for the repatriation of PNG citizens abroad with the acquisition of a facility to cater for the 14-day compulsory quarantine requirement and the need for proper and accountable distribution of Government funding to the frontline agencies.