Students assured of help

By Rebecca Kuku
THE Government is making arrangements to assist the 21 PNG students in Wuhan city plus other citizens in China in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, an official says.
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Secretary Barbara Age told The National that they were discussing with the PNG Embassy in Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby on how best to assist the PNG citizens and students in Wuhan.
“This is a very serious issue and is affecting the global community. The department is in dialogue with the PNG Embassy in Beijing to see how best we can assist our people and evacuate them out of the affected areas,” she said.
“So yes, we are aware of the situation and currently collecting and verifying information. Once we have all the facts, we will put together a report and submit it to the Government for approval.”
A Government statement will be issued after that.
Age said she had been assured by Chinese government officials that they would be providing assistance to the students in China on Chinese government scholarships.
“At this stage, I want to assure the students and their families that we will do everything we can to assist them.”
Third-year Petroleum Engineering student Ancilla Dalai at the China University of Geoscience in Wahun told The National that the situation was tense and the area was in lockdown, with no one allowed to enter or leave.
She called on the PNG Government to evacuate them, or provide them with respiratory masks, hand sanitisers, food and water.