Joint military programme helps community, school

A GROUP of soldiers from the US, Australia and Papua New Guinea are doing health checks, dispensing medicine and renovating a school’s buildings in Lae.
Bowali Primary School has benefited from Operation Pacific Angel, a joint effort by US, Australia and PNG military personnel this week.
A medical team from the operation also carried out dermal (skin) and eye checks, physiotherapy exercises and given general medicine to members of the community.
The operation is conducted four times a year and the visit to Lae was the last one for 2019.
Royal Australian Air Force squadron leader Evelyn Wright said they had been treating people since last Sunday at the school which had attracted people from surrounding communities.
Angau General Hospital and Red Cross (PNG) staff were also part of the programme which ends today.
Meanwhile, head teacher Allan Apuahe said the school was supposed to have 11 classrooms built before the start of the operation but that had not happened because of construction and supply issues.
He said only two classrooms had been built.
Apuahe thanked Operation Pacific Angel for their contribution which helped the school’s three-year development plan.
He said servicemen in the joint effort helped to renovate classrooms, built ablution blocks and upgraded the school’s septic system.