Everyone should take responsibility

ALTHOUGH we blame the National Government for not doing enough to identify the coronavirus in PNG, the Covid-19 pandemic containment effort cannot be seen as the sole responsibility of the government.
National Government needs to cease all major national projects and spare committed funds to address the pandemic.
We can review those committed projects later when situation stablisers.
Divert all funding as early as possible to assist provincial governments to prepare for possible cases, especially setting up provincial quarantine centres etc.
At present, I believe some provincial governments are still waiting for National Government assistance.
While waiting, provincial governments should also take a proactive approach and set up trust accounts and start injecting some portion of provincial grants into these trust accounts to assist front liners such as provincial Covid-19 response teams and provincial health personnel to conduct early research and testing.
We, as individuals, should voluntarily make ourselves available for testing and not wait for authorities.
Apart from the nation’s capital, there is no guarantee that other centres are safe and free from virus.
The virus has already come into the nation undetected.
It will be too late to contain it if the pandemic surges at the provincial and district level given the fact that our health capacity is very weak.
While dealing with cases in the capital, be mindful that people do not adhere to instructions or take directives seriously.
It will be too late to contain the virus if testing is centralised at one point.

Hanam Bill Sandu,
Lae