Unvaccinated Papua New Guineans buying green cards

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Unvaccinated Papua New Guineans buying green cards

PORT MORESBY: Papua New Guineans who are against the Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine are apparently buying green vaccination cards.

National Pandemic Controller David Manning said it was a disgraceful act putting everyone else at risk and in danger by moving around unvaccinated.

PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces several news reports on the current Covid-19 status in Papua New Guinea as published by The National:

New Covid-19 issue emerges

October 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

David Manning

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THE National Control Centre (NCC) has condemned the “disgraceful” act of people “buying” and carrying around green vaccination cards without being vaccinated, saying they are putting everyone else’s lives in danger.
National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning said people yet to be vaccinated but carrying around the green vaccination cards “are putting everyone else’s life in danger because of their carelessness”.
He said they were “aware of the issue” but were yet to catch anyone carrying the “fake” cards.
“We won’t know how many people have actually bought this cards.
“By then, it may be too late.
“But no one should be lying to their relatives that they have been vaccinated by showing fake cards,” he said.
“To those who are selling the cards when it (should be) free after you receive the vaccine, you are playing with the lives of those who purchase the cards.
“To those who (buy) the card in a black-market deal, (also) know 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 called it a “disgraceful” act as the health systems grapples with the surge in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases around the country.
“We continue to disregard the simple protocols put in place, and (now) people see fit to create their own shortcuts,” he said.
“Do read the news and know what is happening in the country in terms of the Covid-19 crisis and know what happens when you get the Covid-19.”
Questions sent to Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS Jelta Wong and Health secretary Dr Osborne Liko are yet to be answered.
The Department of Health is in charge of the issuing of the vaccination cards to those that have been vaccinated.
It is believed that the green vaccination cards are being sold for between K100 to K300 per card, with up to 200 cards already been sold.
Deputy Controller of the PNG Covid-19 National Pandemic Response Dr Daoni Esorom on Monday said the NCC had warned the Health Department about using a card which could not be duplicated easily.
“We told them (Health Department) when the vaccines were to be brought in that we needed a card with a serial number so that the card is for one person only.
“Once they were vaccinated, that card goes with them.
“At the moment those cards are just cards, no serial number and anybody can reproduce them,” he said.
“We were worried about the black market that can pop up.
“But that is the department’s issue.
“We had highlighted that fact,” he added.

Children’s bodies among ‘unclaimed’

October 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THE bodies of 16 children between the ages of two and 12 left by their relatives in a hospital morgue for months are among the 253 to be given a mass burial in Port Moresby.
It is also referred to as a pauper’s burial – when someone dies a destitute without anyone to pay for their funeral expenses.
The 253 bodies had been in the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) morgue since April, according to hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi.
National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning said the pauper’s burial was necessary.
“The mortuary is now filled to and beyond capacity with more than 300 bodies stacked on top of one another as more Coronavirus (Covid-19) bodies are brought in from the wards and homes,” he said.
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop said they were “working towards a mass burial”.
PMGH director of medical services Dr Kone Sobi said the hospital conducted four mass burials a year with each costing between K25,000 and K35,000, depending on the number of bodies.
A newspaper advertisement will detail the names and ages of the people who had died and had been left unclaimed for months.
After three days, the PMGH will take the bodies to a plot allocated by the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) to be buried together.

Vaccines safe for pregnant women: Doctor

October 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

PREGNANT women have been warned to get the Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine as soon as possible to protect themselves, says Deputy National Pandemic Response Controller Dr Daoni Esorom.
He said the Covid-19 vaccines were safe for pregnant women, especially the ones available here such as the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Johnson & Johnson.
He was responding to claims that some pregnant women had died from complications after taking the vaccine.
Dr Esorom rubbished the claims saying people must stop spreading misinformation.
“The fundamental thing is if you are pregnant, get yourself vaccinated,” he said.
“Pregnancy in itself has a lot of challenges on the female body, and at the same time, your immunity is reduced.
“The Covid-19 vaccine will only protect you, (although) it will not protect you from other diseases. “So if you don’t want to get infected or get severely ill while pregnant, get yourself vaccinated.”
Dr Esorom also clarified that only people above 18 could be vaccinated at the moment.
“We will assess the evidence and advice our team accordingly.”

Need for health workers

October 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THE Health Department wants graduates and retired health workers recruited urgently to help in the fight against the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) and its Delta variant.
The department, in an advertisement, said all unemployed graduates from any of the nursing and community health worker schools (years 2018-2021) and former health workers were wanted to help beef up the workforce in patient care and vaccine rollout.
Controller of the National Pandemic Response David Manning said one of the priorities and concerns was the health workers as infections and deaths continued to increase around the country.
“Health workers are in the frontline of this fight against the Covid-19 and this means protecting them at all cost,” he said.
“However, we see many have not been vaccinated.
“In hospitals across the country, the number of health workers and doctors have dwindled because they have contracted the Covid-19 and are now in isolation.
“Those who are working are pulling double shifts and we are trying our best to ensure that there are nurses and doctors available to deal with the increase of hospital admissions of the Covid-19 cases in the country.”
According to the latest Covid-19 data, 13,067 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, with 6,919 fully vaccinated. 

 

Detained with the infected

October 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
TWO suspects are detained among Coronavirus (Covid-19)-infected remandees in the police cells for allegedly breaking into the Kerema Police Station in Gulf, station commander Snr Insp Michael Pakyei says.
“They are being remanded with 11 infected Covid-19 remandees after allegedly breaking in to steal two drums of fuel,” he said. “They know very well that the station has been closed since last week because of the Covid-19 outbreak that infected 11 remandees and a policeman.
“Yet, they broke into the station in the early hours of last Wednesday.
“There is no other cell to detain them.”
Snr Insp Pakyei said six people broke into the station knowing the station was closed.
“There was no policeman around,” he said.
“They broke the main door of the station between 3.30am and 5am and went to the fuel storage room.
“They removed two full drums and pushed them out of the station through the backdoor.”
Snr Insp Pakyei said that at about 9am, they arrived at the station and noticed the main door open. Upon inspection, they noted that two drums of fuel were missing.
Further inspection revealed the station’s backdoor was open and tracks left by the drums that were rolled out.
“We followed the trail and came to the beach,” Snr Insp Pakyei said.
“We followed the trail to Keivey village at the edge of the town.
“The villagers handed over the first suspect and the first drum.
“They then told us that another drum was at Hevoro settlement, also at the edge of the town.
“So we went to that settlement, picked up the drum and also another suspect.
“We brought back the drums and the suspects back to the station and locked up the suspects with the infected remandees. “Four other suspects are still at large.”

IMR to get equipment for tests

October 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

By LULU MARK
THE PNG Institute of Medical Research (IMR) is in the process of getting an equipment to carry out genome sequencing in the country to fasten the turnaround time for test results, an official says.
The institute currently sends all Coronavirus (Covid-19) tests overseas and it takes time to get results back.
Deputy National Pandemic Response Controller Dr Daoni Eserom said the Chamber of Mines and Petroleum would buy the equipment to speed up the turnaround time for test results to assist the country’s response.
“In the next few weeks and months, they should have it up and running,” he said.
“The virus is evolving and technology is changing all the time. So the IMR is trying to identify the best machine that will suit the situation.”
He warned people to protect themselves as the surge in the Covid-19 Delta variant is affecting all provinces.
As of Monday, the total cases was 28,209 – 2,706 of which were diagnosed in the past 14 days including 314 in the past 24 hours.
Dr Esorom said all the highlands provinces plus Morobe, Madang, Western, West and East Sepik, the National Capital District, Central and East New Britain were experiencing “serious surges”.
“Seeing the trend and behaviour of the virus, it is typical of the Delta variant which transmits faster.
“So we are pretty sure the Delta variant is all over the country,” he said.
“The national positivity rate is 13 per cent which is high.
“There has been a significant increase in test positivity since September compared to July and August.”
He lists as “high-risk” the provinces in the Highlands, Madang, Morobe, NCD, Central Northern and Milne Bay.
Those classed “medium-risk” are Western, West Sepik, East Sepik, Manus, West and East New Britain. 

 

Govt to reveal Covid-19 costs in Parliament next month

October 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

PRIME Minister James Marape says a government audit of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) expenditure will be made known to the country during next month’s Parliament sitting.
However, Marape said the distribution of the funding and the spending of the monies had yet to be acquitted, particularly from the provincial health authorities which had yet to be cited by the Government.
“I will be able to inform the country where we have spent and about the acquittals. We have asked for acquittals, some (PHAs) have acquitted and some have not,” he said.
“I want to make things clear, K5.7 billion spending as stated by many is not correct, the money was to support the budget this year and last year.
“About K500 million was specifically for the Covid-19 expenditure and those have been distributed to the provinces, provincial health authorities and the National Control Centre. A total report will be done in November.
“The funds have been spread in four different disbursements points; the Health Department and the PHA and the operational expenditure at the National Control Centre and the districts and provinces.
“These are the main areas where funds have been disbursed.”
Marape said the next run of disbursements would not be distributed throughout the districts or provinces but would allocated following approved plans.
“This plan will include additional bed spaces and other much needed equipment and supplies,” he said.