PNG Ports assists YWAM outreach in Morobe

About 3000 young children were administered childhood immunisations in a health outreach program carried out by the Youth With
A Mission (YWAM) Training and Medical ships, assisted by PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports).
The YWAM team,which frequents the rural communities and scattered islands in PNG to deliver much needed health care and capacity building projects, travelled to Morobe last month.
During its two week visit to 21 villages, a total of 2,974 childhood immunisations were administered on young children, while 3,167 adult patients were given appropriate treatment and health advice.
Of the adult patients seen, more than half were primary health care patients, while the rest were dental (377), optometry (853) and ophthalmology (156) patients.
The YWAM medical team also carried out 494 Dentistry and 77 eye procedures, dispensed 751 pairs of glasses and screened 23 individuals by laboratory.
According to YWAM’s Public Relations Manager, Anna Scott, about 48 per cent of the total patients were children, most of these were seen for routine vaccinations according to PNG’s vaccination schedule.
YWAM staff also carried out Professional Development Educational Sessions, Health Promotion Sessions as well as community services.
Jeremy Schierer of YWAM thanked PNG Ports for its support during its two port of calls at the Lae Port.
Schierer said the YWAM out reachprograms for PNG would not be possible without the help of government authorities, sponsors, and key partners like PNG Ports.
PNG Ports is a key partner in this through its role in providing berthage, wharfage and other associated services free of charge.
Improving health is one of the governments key development agendas and PNG Ports continues to support this in any way it can in its capacity as the owner and operator of the 15 major seaports in thecountry.
“PNG Ports is supportive of the YWAM Training and Medical ships outreach program because its services penetrates into the rural communities where the bulk of our people are, a vision which PNG Ports also shares,” said PNG Ports Managing Director, Stanley Alphonse.
“PNG Ports has often assisted in areas of achieving quality health outcomes by being understanding on charges related to medical supply consignments and other related cargo that pass through the ports, and this is one of them,” he said.
He added that PNG Ports, through Its community engagement program, also makes donations and sponsors activities that aim to improve health standards In the country.
YWAM last visited Morobe early last year and treated 4,000 patients from 23 villages. YWAM returns to Morobe in August with Gulf, Western, Central, Milne Bay, Morobe and Oro also scheduled for this year.
YWAM, as a charity organisation, works with the PNG Health Department, various provincial governments and relevant authorities to deliver much needed health care and training needs to rural PNG communities.
All staff on board the YWAM Medical Ships, including senior project managers, medical staff and ship crew, are full time volunteers who make the rural outreach program a success.