First man to be charged with green card scam in Papua New Guinea
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
PORT MORESBY: A 38-year-old Papua New Guinean was the first man to
be charged with selling forged green vaccination cards in the country.
Lae senior magistrate Pious Tapil told Allen Steven,
from Okapa’s Keteve village in Eastern Highlands that he could face a “higher penalty”
if he had also breached the National Pandemic Act.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below proceedings of the case on Wednesday (Oct 27, 2021) as reported by The National and several news reports on the Coronavirus (Coviud-19) status in Papua New Guinea:
Green card
scam
October 28, 2021The
NationalMain Stories
By JIMMY KALEBE
A MAN who was caught allegedly selling “forged” green vaccination cards
has been told by the court he could face a “higher penalty” if he had also
breached the National Pandemic Act.
Lae Senior Magistrate Pius Tapil told Allan Steven, 38, of Keteve village in
Okapa, Eastern Highlands, that the business he was allegedly engaged in was
very serious.
“I hope the police is on top of this case,” he said.
He added that it was the first Covid-19-related charge “of this nature” to come
before the court.
Steven was charged with forgery, uttering false documents (Covid-19 green
vaccination cards) and issuing them to the public.
Magistrate Tapil told the police prosecution to check with the arresting office
if what Steven was charged with also came under the National Pandemic Act.
He said if the police prosecution confirmed that the charges fell under the
National Pandemic Act, then the court would consider it at the next hearing on
Nov 8.
Tapil told Steven that offences under the National Pandemic Act could carry “a
very high penalty”.
Steven is on remand at the Lae Police Station. The court was told that Steven,
a student at a training institute in Lae, had allegedly committed the offences
between Sept 16 and Oct 26.
Police alleged that Steven used a computer and a printer to do the scanning,
then used the Buimo Health Centre official stamp and the signature of a medical
officer on the cards.
The court heard that Steven then distributed the cards to around 80 people who
needed vaccination cards for the purpose of employment or other reasons.
Police arrested him on Tuesday when he was trying to sell four of the green
vaccination cards for K50 each to a private security firm employee.
The court heard that after being arrested, he admitted the offence to police,
and later led officers to his house where the equipment he had used were.
Police confiscated the equipment.
Genuine cards
show serial number
October 28, 2021The
NationalMain Stories
By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
A GENUINE or original green vaccination card can be identified by the
lot (serial) number in the fourth column, plus the two stamps at the back, says
National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning.
“The lot or serial number is given specifically to a (vaccinated) person who is
registered on the database that is accessed by the National Control Centre and
the Department of Health,” he said.
“This number is used to identify the person, when he or she was vaccinated and
where.”
He was commenting on the alleged fake vaccination cards being sold to people
who have not been vaccinated to, for example, help them continue or secure
employment.
He warned people not to waste their money buying the illegal cards.
“Do not try to buy the fake green vaccination cards,” he added.
He said the green vaccination cards should be free and given to people only
after they were vaccinated.
“To those selling the cards, you are playing with the lives of those who (buy
them),” he said.
He also warned those buying the fake cards that “you are putting yourself in
danger of being infected with the Covid-19”.
“While we are not forcing anyone to take the vaccine, lying about receiving the
vaccine does not help you or your family,” he said. National Capital District
Provincial Health Authority chief executive officers Dr Steven Yennie
told The National: “We are reviewing our cards to ensure we
have an electronic bar code.
“All data will be now electronically kept.”
On how a bar code and data would be kept electronically, Yennie said the National
Control Centre had the technical capabilities to assist.
Deputy National Pandemic Response Controller Dr Daoni Esorom said: “We are
looking at developing a digital certificate that comes with a code number and
ID linked to one person.
“It’s the only way we can deal with the issue of the photocopying of the card.”
Province
reports surge in Covid-19 infections
October 28, 2021The
NationalNational
THERE is a Coronavirus (Covid-19)
surge in East New Britain (ENB) with 117 infections reported in the past 14
days.
National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning and his deputy, Dr Daoni
Esorom, have declared the province as “high risk”.
“That includes the whole of the Highlands, Mamose, Western and ENB.
“We are working on how best we can respond to the pandemic especially in the
Highlands,” Manning said.
Manning said the Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) were ready to attend to those in
need of support.
“We are monitoring those provinces that had been placed on high risk,” he said,
adding that one health worker was infected in ENB and 18 people were tested
positive for the Covid-19 on Monday.
Couples
advised to put off pregnancy plans next year
October 28, 2021The NationalNational
By LULU MARK
COUPLES have been strongly advised not to plan for pregnancy next year
and Prof Glen Mola is urging all pregnant women to get vaccinated immediately
as Coronavirus (Covid-19) maternal deaths are high.
“Currently, about 45 women go to the Port Moresby General Hospital labour ward
to give birth daily and 10 per cent (or four) are Covid-19 infected.
“Non-Covid maternal deaths are about one per month, but the Covid-19 deaths
this month were 10,” he said.
Mola, who is the hospital’s head of reproductive health, obstetrics and
gynaecology at the University of Papua New Guinea, said: “We are so busy looking
after the people dying from the Covid-19 and the very sick that we do not have
the resources to look after pregnancy at the same time.
“Also, the staff are coming down with Covid-19 infections which means that they
have to stay away from work for two weeks in isolation at home.
“Pregnant women and their families should get vaccinated and do not plan a
pregnancy until the epidemic is over,” he said, adding that the peak of this
surge would not be reached until the end of this year. And when we peak, there
could be a plateau of continued awfulness,” he lamented.
Responding to questions about a woman being fully vaccinated, but died from the
Covid-19 while in the labour ward, Mola said that woman had only one jab and
that was just two weeks before she died and only a few days before she started
becoming ill.
“She got the vaccine too late.
“The vaccine takes two months to work and be fully effective.
“This woman was definitely not fully vaccinated.”
Marape
cancels trip for climate change meet
October 28, 2021The NationalNational
PRIME Minister James Marape has
cancelled his trip to the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow,
Scotland as he tries to deal with the current surge in Coronavirus (Covid-19)
cases around the country.
Minister for Climate Change and Conservation Wera Mori will represent him at
the conference, which will be attended by world leaders such as United States
President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Zinping.
Marape said the surge in Covid-19 cases “requires my leadership”.
Mori will deliver a statement highlighting challenges faced by Papua New Guinea
as regards climate change.
He will also attend the Leaders’ Summit and other scheduled meetings.
“I have every confidence in (Mori’s) leadership on progressing Papua New
Guinea’s position, interest and support to the global community to ramp up
ambitions and endorse the Paris Rulebook to meet emission reduction
targets to save our planet,” Marape said.
Mori and a government delegation are expected to arrive in Glasgow this week.
The COP26 is an annual UN climate change conference attended by the countries
which had signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
which came into force in 1994.
Medical team
from Aust arrives to help with Covid-19
October 28, 2021The
NationalMain Stories
ANOTHER Australian medical assistance team arrived yesterday in Port
Moresby to help local authorities in containing the surge in Coronavirus
(Covid-19) cases.
Deputy National Pandemic Response Controller Dr Daoni Esorom said six medical
personnel and 14 Australian Defence Force (ADF) soldiers would be based in Port
Moresby until a decision was made on where they should be sent to.
A C130J Hercules Royal Australian Air Force aircraft arrived in Port Moresby
around 6.30pm yesterday with emergency supplies including pre-packaged personal
protective equipment, medicine and oxygen consumables which will be distributed
to high-risk provinces.
The Government had asked Australia to send more medical and logistics
personnel.
This is the sixth Australian group to arrive in PNG.
Australia has been at the forefront in assisting PNG’s Covid-19 response in the
past 20 months.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Marise Payne said
Australia was “standing with our friend and neighbour as it faces significant
pressure on its health system”.
“Australia and PNG know the importance of partnership. Responding to this
current Covid-19 outbreak together, is no exception,” Payne said.
“The team will support the PNG-led response through the allocation of extra
health specialists and medical supplies across the health system in response to
the current surge in cases.”
The 14 ADF soldiers will join the five ADF planners who arrived in August.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the force’s increasing support was testament
to Australia’s commitment to help PNG manage the spread of the Covid-19.
“Tackling Covid-19 is a global challenge and we are proud to contribute
additional specialist capacity and expertise, with our ADF personnel working
alongside our PNGDF partners to help them in this fight,” Dutton said.
Medical ship
helps fight Covid
October 28, 2021The
NationalNational
THE Mv Ywam, Youth
With A Mission training and medical ship, is in Western to help Papua New
Guinea in its Coronavirus (Covid-19) response and to deliver childhood
immunisations.
The ship arrived last Sunday and will help in the rural health patrols to
communities in Middle and South Fly districts.
Ywam in a media statement said its team of volunteers would be working in
partnership with local health workers, Western health authority, PNG
Sustainable Development Programme, Australian Aid and World Vision.
Ywam medical ships Australia and Papua New Guinea managing director Ken
Mulligan said: “We have had advanced land-based teams out on the field since
June.
“While the teams have achieved some wonderful outcomes, logistics has been a
significant challenge.
“The ship provides
much needed support in many ways, including consistent cold chain, supplies
storage, communication and, of course, transport to difficult to reach
communities. The ship will serve as a mother ship as our teams travel to and
from the vessel for mobile clinics in villages.
“It will greatly extend the reach of help to include more remote villages.
“We have some ongoing challenges to navigate in light of the pandemic, but we
are really hopeful about what can be achieved as we press on together.”
Chief executive
officer Dr Niko Wuatai said: “I’m so pleased to have the Mv Ywam PNG back in
our waters, joining our team here.
“Accessibility to our remote communities is one of our biggest challenges.
“To have the ship’s support with transportation and supplies is a welcome boost
during such a challenging time.”
Over the past five months, Ywam land-based teams have participated in patrols
alongside district and church health teams that have administered more than
7,350 routine immunisations for children and over 1,640 Covid-19 immunisations
for adults in more than 60 villages.
Ywam is also in the process of
establishing a campus in Port Moresby that will serve as a vocational training
campus and a hub for outreach services across the nation.
The centre will help Ywam expand their work across PNG, including deploying
additional teams to remote communities.
The Mv Ywam PNG and her team plan to be in Western until Christmas for
re-stocking in Port Moresby for Ywam’s next deployment next year.
Team to help
fight virus
Team to help
fight virus
October 28, 2021The
NationalNational
National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning has welcomed an
emergency medical team from the United Kingdom to help health workers fight the
Covid-19.By BEVERLY PETER
AN emergency medical team (EMT) from the United Kingdom (UK) has arrived
to support Papua New Guinea’s fight against the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning said the extra hands to
help health workers was welcomed.
“Many of our health workers are exhausted, we are grateful for the team to be
here to help,” he said.
“Many of our health workers are getting infected and when they are away in
isolation, those remaining are stressed out,” he said when welcoming the team.
The UK EMT deployment in PNG is funded by the British government as part of the
bilateral relationship with the PNG Government and its people.
British High Commissioner in PNG Keith Scott said: “We have been helping PNG
since the pandemic in providing assistance with infrastructure, St John
Ambulance and medical equipment worth K1.76 million.
“The arrival of the EMT is another level of assistance from us.
“It is a change to put British medical expertise in the best use here.”
EMT leader Peter Sykes said: “We will do all we can to support PNG’s efforts to
fight this pandemic and bring it under control.
“We will be providing critical medical care to patients suffering from the
Covid-19 and support to the national health staff engaged in coping with the
rapid spread of the third wave of the virus.
“The team will provide urgent care to critical sick patients, work closely with
our PNG colleagues to ensure adequate infection prevention and control measures
and support community engagement strategies in training and skill transfers to
local staff.”
The six-man EMT will be in Mt Hagen, with another four to join them by the
weekend.
Sykes said: “We brought our own logistics and, thus, will not put pressure on
the Health Department.
“We were based in Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria and Lebanon.
“This is a global problem that needs global solutions and global team work.
“We will work closely with the provincial health authority in Mt Hagen to
provide training as well as learning from the colleges there at Mt Hagen
General Hospital.”
Manning said the team would be in Mt Hagen “because the province is one of the
worst hit by the virus”.
“We are also monitoring other provinces in the Highlands daily,” he said. “We
will work closely with the health authorities to provide EMT to the provinces
when there is a need for assistance.
Registrar
urges staff to get vaccinated
October 28, 2021The
NationalNational
ALL Papua New Guinea Civil
Identification Registry staff working on the national identification
registration project must be vaccinated for them to move and work in other
provinces, registrar-general Noel Mobiha says.
“We are not forcing staff to be vaccinated because vaccination is voluntarily
but a ‘no jab, no travel’ policy stands,” he said.
“We are not forcing but our request is, if an employee is trying to move to
another province, they must be vaccinated to move between provinces for work,”
he said.
“We usually move employees to work in other centres but in order to move now,
they must be vaccinated against the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
“If not, they will not be moving from one centre to another.
“We have only 34 out of 500 staff who are vaccinated.
“The number is growing and we are giving bonus to staff who have been
vaccinated to encourage them to get the vaccination.
“The Covid-19 is our new neighbour and people should learn to live with it now
by adhering to public health safety protocols.
“We should not continue to worry about it.
“Take the vaccination to protect yourself and others. We have got projects to
run in the country.”
Comments
Post a Comment