Get vaccinated to help Govt lift restrictions

THE Covid-19 pandemic has largely left Papua New Guinea untouched, giving the public the opinion that the virus was “sik bilong waitman” (sickness belonging to the white man) or some other disease that would not affect us in the country.
The Government, to a large extent, was in a state of denial and helped by social media, saying it was nothing more than a bad case of flu.
In February, as selective testing began, the spread of the coronavirus began to expose the truth that it was here and it was time to take it seriously.
The National Capital District accounted for more than 50 per cent of positive cases, followed by Western and other provinces as testing began.
Interestingly enough, there was clear evidence that the provinces that were testing were recording the highest incidence.
Many provinces did not have sufficient quantities of the rapid test kits or GeneXpert cartridges and these provinces recorded the lowest prevalence of positive cases, which gave cause to believe that it was absolutely necessary for more general testing be carried out.
Fortunately, most positive cases detected were mild but exceptions began to occur when three judges, MPs, clergy and prominent business leaders were among 20 have died.
Regretfully, many more have died without being recorded.
Testing was stepped up and it was expected that many more positive cases would be recorded.
Official figures at the time of writing state so far 11,652 have tested positive out of 96,000 tested.
The protocols that were introduced such as washing hands, wearing face masks and distancing have failed completely due to the poor implementation and frankly the lack of any isolation centres.
People who tested positive were sent home to their villages or settlements to remain in isolation, which is an absurdity.
Papua New Guineans live in a communal society.
They live in close proximity and to practice isolation would be an impossibility. What this approach did was helping to spread the virus into the more remote regions where there are few health services available and control of the virus would get out of control.
Added to this are traditional “haus krais”, sporting events, church crusades and other events where large numbers gather basically unprotected, which open up the threat of a super spread.
We see on TV in other countries about the tracking of positive cases, the enforcement of restrictions and lockdowns and that makes PNG look very bad as tracking is almost impossible, given the traditional way most Papua New Guineans live and travel.
The effect of Covid-19 has already caused an economic disaster.
The Government is said to have allocated K1.2 billion to reduce the spread but it is difficult to see how this money has been spent or will be spent to effectively reduce the spread.
This is a question that is being asked by many people that needs to be answered.
Apart from awareness and preventiveness, the only real hope for PNG is for mass vaccination not only for frontline health workers, but the public.
This process has begun but to achieve the coverage, PNG would need a minimum of 15 million AstraZeneca vaccines, which would cover the elderly and the large numbers of people under 50.
But vaccinating everyone is a challenge against the false social media and anti-vaccine terrorists, which include governors who are openly threatening the Government to ban vaccines in their provinces.
The Melanesian Foundation, largely funded by Melanesian Tourist Services based in Madang have funded a “question and answer” booklet written by Prof Glen Mola, a well-known and respected lecturer at the University of PNG and supported by the National Control Centre, the Australian government, the PNG Institute of Medical Research and responsible doctors.
The first edition has been released in Madang and electronically throughout the country.
The second edition funded by Ok Tedi Mining Ltd is in print and due to arrive within the next week and further copies were expected to be funded by various companies and organisations. The booklet is printed in English, Tok Pisin and Motu.
The art work has been done by Anton Selve, the marketing manager of Melanesia Tourist Services and translation jointly by Prof Mola, Garina and Divine Word University president Prof Fr Philip Gibbs.
In Madang, Dr Livingstone Tavul has used this book to inform the public with answers to the many questions being raised.
The book has already been distributed throughout Madang and the second edition is now in print to be circulated throughout PNG so that leaders, pastors, priests, MPs and local level governments can put an end to the fake news about vaccines being posted on Facebook and other social media platforms.
While we have acted responsibly to assist the Government in dealing with the pandemic, we are calling for others to assist us with funding of the booklet and in other practical ways in which we can return PNG to normalcy and get the economy moving again.
Under normal circumstances, Melanesia Tourist Services would be spending money promoting and developing PNG as a tourist destination, but in view of Covid-19, we feel it is more productive to spend our advertising budget with the Melanesian Foundation to make everyone in PNG aware of the need to get vaccinated so restrictions can be lifted and hopefully restore PNG as a tourist destination.
Regardless of the challenges, PNG remains one of the most exciting destinations in the Pacific.

Sir Peter Barter