WHO discusses Covid in PNG

PAPUA New Guinea’s battle with a surging Covid-19 outbreak is at a “critical” stage as health authorities battle a fragile health system, slow and limited testing and vaccine hesitancy.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) convened a special panel of experts to discuss the situation with the media on Thursday evening, where concerns were aired about widespread community transmissions and more healthcare workers becoming infected.
The country of eight million people has received about 140,000 vaccine doses, including 8,000 from Australia, but is far from protecting all of its doctors and nurses, let alone the rest of its population.
The WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus said Australia’s closest neighbour was “a perfect example of why vaccine equity is so important”.
“It has held Covid-19 at bay for so long,” he said.
“But with rising infections, understandable fatigue with social restrictions, low levels of immunity among the population and the fragile health system, it is vital that it receives more vaccines as soon as possible.”
According to Health Minister Jelta Wong, PNG recorded 9,343 cases of Covid-19 and 89 deaths, but half of those were from last month.
Ghebreyesus said the trajectory was “worrying” and the situation “fragile”.
Case numbers dipped somewhat in recent days but low testing rates mean the real figure is certainly much higher.
Aside from altruistic concerns, the situation has the potential to directly affect Australia.
By the end of last month, more than two-thirds of the Covid-19 cases in Queensland’s hospital system, from which Australia’s most recent outbreak, came from PNG.
There is widespread community transmission in Port Moresby, all provinces have now recorded infections and more than 270 healthcare workers have been infected.
WHO PNG acting representative Anna Maalsen said “intense transmission” was putting “enormous pressure” on hospitals, intensive care units, health workers and communities, leaving the country at a “critical” stage.
She described a chain reaction of sick health workers resulting in fewer people to care for patients even as the healthcare system came under increasing pressure. – 9NEWS