We need action plans for virus

The National Letters

THE coronavirus epidemic is now becoming an international concern as the outbreak increases to more than 80 countries around the world.
Covid-19 is spreading at an alarming rate therefore the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared it a global pandemic.
WHO’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries who had no reported cases and think they won’t contract the virus were making a deadly mistake.
Is the country’s public health system prepared?
Are the hospitals nationwide preparing to respond to this outbreak?
This virus infection can be presented anywhere in PNG.
Are the rural health facilities nationwide prepared?
They have less capacities, less resources, less protective equipment, less training around infectious control and lack access to vital information that hospitals have.
The government needs to step in and equip rural health services with resources and protective equipment.
There is a growing concern across the health workforce regarding their personal safety.
Their access to protective equipment.
They are the frontline workers who would care for the patients.
Are we ready to handle the influx of patients? Are the health staff ready to handle an outbreak?
The government should now take multilateral approach in preventing this disease from entering the country.
The provincial governments and LLGs should work together with provincial health authorities to come up with preparedness and readiness plans.
All government agencies, politicians, private sector, NGOs, churches and communities should unite to fight against this deadly disease.
I propose the following recommendations:

  • ALL government agencies to make funding available to fight Covid-19;
  • HAVE testing kits at every clinics;
  • CLINICAL training for all health care workers;
  • EQUIP health workers with personal protective equipment; and,
  • COMMUNITY awareness on precautionary measures.

If the health care workers are not properly trained on Covid-19, we expect the health care system to fall apart.
Prevention is better than cure.

Peter Kimbe,
Chimbu Province