Enga gets supplies

 HOMEGROWN humanitarian group, the Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation has delivered over K1 million worth of medical equipment and supplies to the people of Enga.

That followed a successful public-private-partnership undertaken by the Enga provincial government, the foundation, Mapai Transport and Riback Stevedoring of Lae to deliver the much needed medical assistance to Enga.

Foundation president Garry Bustin, who had accepted a request from Enga Governor Peter Ipatas and former PNG Ambassador to the United States, Evan Paki last year to facilitate the assistance, said he was happy to see one of his organisation’s visions become a reality by helping people who needed such help.

Bustin, who is the son of American missionary Gerald Bustin, who worked mostly in Southern Highlands and Morobe in the 1960s, had established and registered the foundation in the US in 2009 and set up an office in Port Moresby, with the aim of helping people in the rural areas through medical and education services.

He said he started his service in East Sepik by bringing in two aircraft under similar partnership arrangements to facilitate transport services in delivering medical and related programmes, including teachers pay rounds in accessible areas.

He said his organisation was prepared to provide more help.

Ipatas thanked the foundation, Riback Stevedoring and Mapai Transport for making things possible to deliver the two 40 foot containers containing medical equipment and supplies.

He said the medical equipment and supplies were worth K1.5million. 

He said his government had contributed only K160,000 towards the freight cost from the US to Lae wharf, while Mapai Transport and Riback Stevedoring met the other costs on delivering the containers from Lae to Wabag.

Dr Lino Moses from Sopas Hospital would distribute the medical equipment and supplies to rural hospitals.