Hela sets aside funds for measles outbreak

 THE Hela provincial government has allocated K300,000 from its provincial services improvement programme fund to address the measles outbreak in the province. 

Governor Anderson Agiru (right) said the money would be used for the vaccination programme in the province. 

“This money will also be used to buy vaccination storage facilities like solar power, refrigerators in areas where there is no electricity, fuel, vehicles and charter MAF and Southwest Air to go into areas like Mt Bosavi, Lake Kopiago and Strickland at the border of East and West Sepik,” he said.

“I am calling on every health worker in Hela who are on government payroll but not at their place of work to return and call in for duty. 

“I am also calling on all aid post orderlies who are out of work and who have retired to assemble at Tari Hospital to be deployed under the vaccination exercise and also to help doctors and other staff for extension and patrol purposes.”

Agiru said health care was one of the most important priorities.

He also called on the people to help those affected by the outbreak and take them to health centres. 

“Do not leave them in the village. Carry them to the health centers. We do not want any further deaths.”

Forty people are reported to be affected by the outbreak and have been evacuated to the Tari Hospital which needs more space.