Telikom aids NCD cholera task force

TELIKOM PNG give away 10 X’cess wireless phones to help the NCD cholera containment programme officials in their awareness campaign yesterday
Telikom chief executive officer Peter Loko said the presentation was to help keep the public updated of the situation since the first cholera case was reported early this month.
The X’cess phones are toll free on fixed lines which the public could have access to the NCD cholera task force team’s effort while monitoring the city for any signs of cholera.
Mr Loko said the “concern now lies in the beginning of the academic year at the University of Papua New Guinea” where students from all over PNG would be arriving.
He said this would prove a problem as they might be bringing in the virus or they might pick it up in the city.
NCD health adviser Dr Timothy Pyakalyia stressed that the fear for the city was in the areas which did not have access to treated water.
“These areas are the ones that can be affected if the people fail to practice basic sanitation and personal hygiene, or eat clean food and drink boiled water,” he said.
Dr Pyakalyia thanked Telikom for the X’cess phones and said communication was a vital component for health as feedback and continuous updates were needed to constantly maintain alertness and awareness.