PNG working with Aust on vaccine programme

PAPUA New Guinea is working with the Australian health authorities on how best the vaccination programme can be rolled out in the country, says National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning.
“PNG is awaiting Australia to commence their vaccination programme,” he said.
He said Australia was PNG’s vaccination sponsor.
“We will continue dialogues with the World Health Organisation and Australian colleagues to (see) how best to progress as responsibly as possible respecting individual rights and protecting our country’s fragile health system,” Manning siad.
He said PNG would “ride on the vaccination programme to be rolled out in the Pacific by Australia” in April.
“We are taking advice from the Australian health authorities on the preferable vaccination then we will let the country know as to which vaccination will be used in PNG,” Manning said.
Manning said he understood concerns raised by the public on whether they wanted to subject themselves to the vaccination.
“For us to conduct ourselves as individuals and in the context of the global community, we need to see what the rest of the world is doing and understand how they are doing it thus it will allow us to at least approach the vaccination issue responsibly,” he said.
“We have gone through the arrangements set up by the Australian authorities, which is a similar situation as the rest of the Pacific.
“Once Australia receives the quota for themselves and the Pacific, then I will know what will happen in PNG.
“At this stage, there has not been any indication when that will be available.”