Foundation gives test kits to provinces

THE New Britain Palm Oil Foundation (NBPOF) has donated K286,200 worth of Covid-19 test kits to six provinces where New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL) operates.
A total of 9,000 test kits of the Panbio Covid-19 – Ag rapid diagnostic test (RDT) were donated last week to provincial health authorities in Madang, Milne Bay, Morobe, New Ireland, Northern and West New Britain (WNB).
NBPOL chief executive officer Mohd Azlan Shah Mohd Zain, when presenting 1,500 test kits to the WNB health authority last Thursday, said the company cared about the communities it operated in.
Azlan said the test kits would assist tracking and monitoring of community transmissions in these provinces.
He said it was his desire to see the curve flatten so the industry could continue with its business operations.
“NBPOF last year committed funds towards the Covid-19 preparedness and response across the six provinces,” he said.
“As the Covid-19 situation in PNG continues to worsen, the foundation has again committed to fight against the Covid-19.
“With the dwindling supplies of GeneXpert cartridges across the country and the delays experienced with polymerase chain reaction testing, we see the use of RDTs at all health facilities as a critical component in minimising the spread of the Covid-19 in PNG.”