PNG Opposition tells Government to be well prepared for the coronavirus
Papua New Guinea opposition has called on the government to be aggressive in its preparedness in containing the coronavirus before it is too late.
Shadow Treasurer Joseph Lelang made the call as he raised serious concerns on the level of commitment and readiness by the government to address the Covid-19 virus that has plunged the world into a health and socio-economic panic.
He said the level of preparedness by the PNG government was questionable and inadequate compared with the significant level of risk posed by the Covid-19 virus on PNG.
“I know there is a committee chaired by the minister for Health to address and set in motion plans and strategies to address the threat of the coronavirus to our people,” Lelang said.
“But we are not feeling its presence, especially in light of what we are hearing, seeing in the media and the seriousness with which foreign governments are taking this threat and the measures they have taken to prevent and contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus on their general population.
“Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak in December 2019, the world has begun experiencing shortage of personal protective equipment like examination gloves, goggles, and safety suits. We are observing that supplies are depleting, if not, expensive around the world today.
“If this continues, it will endanger our health workers nationwide. We need effective management of the supply chain of these items for our hospitals and frontline health workers, otherwise we are condemning them and our people.
“I am calling on the government to be aggressive in its preparedness before it is too late.
“According to World Health Organisation (WHO) Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, PNG is classified as at high risk of imported cases. The WHO also indicated that PNG’s Preparedness Capacity is less than 40 per cent.
“Therefore, I am calling on this government to get its head out of the sand to meet the level of risks that we are now facing as a nation. This is not a time for us to relax.
“This is not a time for excuses. We need to develop prevention and containment plans now to minimise the chances of Covid-19 coming into the country and decimating our entire families and communities.”.
SOURCE: POST COURIER/PACNEWS
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Shadow Treasurer Joseph Lelang made the call as he raised serious concerns on the level of commitment and readiness by the government to address the Covid-19 virus that has plunged the world into a health and socio-economic panic.
He said the level of preparedness by the PNG government was questionable and inadequate compared with the significant level of risk posed by the Covid-19 virus on PNG.
“I know there is a committee chaired by the minister for Health to address and set in motion plans and strategies to address the threat of the coronavirus to our people,” Lelang said.
“But we are not feeling its presence, especially in light of what we are hearing, seeing in the media and the seriousness with which foreign governments are taking this threat and the measures they have taken to prevent and contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus on their general population.
“Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak in December 2019, the world has begun experiencing shortage of personal protective equipment like examination gloves, goggles, and safety suits. We are observing that supplies are depleting, if not, expensive around the world today.
“If this continues, it will endanger our health workers nationwide. We need effective management of the supply chain of these items for our hospitals and frontline health workers, otherwise we are condemning them and our people.
“I am calling on the government to be aggressive in its preparedness before it is too late.
“According to World Health Organisation (WHO) Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, PNG is classified as at high risk of imported cases. The WHO also indicated that PNG’s Preparedness Capacity is less than 40 per cent.
“Therefore, I am calling on this government to get its head out of the sand to meet the level of risks that we are now facing as a nation. This is not a time for us to relax.
“This is not a time for excuses. We need to develop prevention and containment plans now to minimise the chances of Covid-19 coming into the country and decimating our entire families and communities.”.
SOURCE: POST COURIER/PACNEWS
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