Government steps up effort as death, infection toll rises

PAPUA New Guinea has updated its emergency preparedness and response plan for Covid-19 (coronavirus) as more than 100,000 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in 93 countries and the death toll increasing to 4,025.
According to PNG’s status report, an emergency preparedness and response plan for Covid-19 had been updated based on the recent risk assessment – identifying different scenarios and key actions for every phase.
“Currently, PNG is in the green zone – alert phase,” the report said.
“But we are preparing for a scenario that if the virus enters the country, containment of Covid-19 is the top priority.”
On Feb 28, WHO (World Health Organisation) raised the risk assessment for the Covid-19 outbreak internationally from “high” to “very high.”
This is the first time, since WHO systematised its approach to risk assessments in 2012, that the risk associated with an event has been assessed as “very high” at the global level.
The risk level also applies to PNG and authorities have updated the emergency preparedness and response plan for Covid-19, with key requirement identified across 10 focus areas that include surveillance, risk assessment and response, risk communication and community engagement, partner coordination, operational logistics, non-pharmaceutical public health measures, points of entry, infection, prevention and control, clinical management and laboratory.
“This applies for both the provincial emergency plan and the national emergency plan,” the report said.
Meanwhile, the Health Department funding request has been updated to K92,849,589, to include support to provinces.