Wake up, deal with Covid-19

THE surge in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in some provinces in the country and the threat of the Delta variant should be a walk-up call for everyone, and more so, the MPs of each of the provinces and districts.
The pandemic response controller and his staff should also wake up and stay on alert.
They should be the most vigilant group of people in the country and be proactive in all they do.
The sad situation in the surge of the Covid-19 cases in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, and the many deaths that followed show how sleepy the provincial government, town authority and National Control Centre are.
Last week, I read in the paper that National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has been vocal against any lockdown to be imposed in Port Moresby.
I am of the view that this call was not done in the best interest of residents of the capital city and people passing through it.
The basic elements that work
in the pandemic’s favour are
generally the lack of basic hygiene and social distancing and crowding and regular movement of people.
Does Port Moresby have officers on the ground to monitor these elements every day of the week?
If not, then another surge may soon start in Port Moresby if politicians and city authorities are taking this lightly.
I am wondering if these politicians and authorities are studying what other states and nations who have successfully controlled the spread of the Covid-19 are doing.
If they are not, then they should not make such outrageous calls like Parkop.
New Zealand, as a case in point, was very successful in controlling the spread of the Covid-19 because Prime Minister Jacinda Arden based her strategy and decisions on the best science knowledge that she got from experts in the country.
Her government made some seemingly harsh decisions such as imposing a four-week lockdown in early 2020, because they knew what the possible consequences were going to be if they delayed that call.
This is all documented and researchers are studying these strategies.
There was nothing political about what Arden was doing.
She did not try to side with the people and their wish to be free to move, she knew she had to make that call.
I hope the MPs in PNG, ministers responsible and the National Control Centre will do the same to ensure that everything is done to protect the people against this pandemic.
Moreover, the prime minister and finance minister must ensure that all funds appropriated for the fight against the pandemic should be used for that purpose and that only.
They must not be kept in a personal account of an MP who has distanced himself from his people and is hiding in a hotel in Port Moresby.
It must be a requirement that all MPs must be back in their provinces and districts and work with the medical and health staff on the ground to ensure the processes and infrastructure needed in this fight are in place and ready.
Something must be done to alleviate the overworked frontline health and medical staff in all hospitals and clinics in the nation.
People who are supposed to be strategising should be seen to be so to ensure the staff or volunteers are protected or taken care of during these very challenging times.
A sick health or medical staff is the last thing that should happen.
It is time for everyone in the Government and in authority to wake up.
There is no time to sleep.

PNG Tauna