Isolation ward ready, health staff receive training: Report

National

By REBECCA KUKU
AN isolation ward of eight beds is ready at the Port Moresby General Hospital and nurses and doctors involved in the response have received training and have personal protective equipment (PPE) in stock while other preparations are still under way, according to Papua New Guinea’s Covid-19 Status Report.
The report also said that provincial health authorities were advised to contact regional coordinators to speed up the process.
“All PHAs are asked to align plans with the National Health Department’s Covid-19 Emergency Response Plan,” the report said.
“Based on (the) preparedness checklist responses received as of March 26, 12 provinces (55 per cent) have identified pre-triaging areas and isolation facilities.
“It is indicated that there is an intensive care unit in seven provinces (32 per cent) and only four provinces (18 per cent) have staff surge plans in place.
“Eleven provinces have already trained their personnel on infection prevention and control (50 per cent) and 10 provinces (45 per cent) have indicated that they have waste management plans, but do not have all the appropriate materials and equipment for waste management, except for nine provinces (41 per cent).”
The report also said that on March 19, Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS Jelta Wong received 500 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Unicef representative David Mcloughlin.
“The PPEs were shipped from Unicef’s global supply hub in Copenhagen, Denmark.