An NZ$10 million (K23m) funding has been announced to support PNG’s vaccination campaign program, which includes the nationwide polio campaign.
Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, announced this today in Port Moresby soon after the conclusion of the APEC Leaders’ Summit.
New Zealand will be working in partnership with the National Department of Health and Australia on this program.
“We are going to put $10 million towards PNG’s vaccination campaign from life threating and preventable diseases,” Peters stated.
“Part of this contribution will go towards PNG’s vaccination efforts towards the polio outbreak. The rest will strengthen the national health system to reliably deliver lifesaving vaccination to protect infants and children in some of PNG’s most at risk provinces.”
He announced the support when opening the new refitted St John Ambulance Operation Centre and 26 ambulance funded at K3.5 million.
The new centre comes fitted with the computer aid system software that tracks emergency calls coming in and at the same time, ambulances to give real time response.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Pascoe Kase will continue to partner with St John Ambulance to finalise a national policy and legislation for a National Ambulance Service for Papua New Guinea.
He also thanked St John Ambulance for its commitment to emergency health care.