SAVE the Children PNG COVID-19 response

Save the Children PNG is one of the International NGOs that is currently disseminating vital information and education on COVID-19 in its target provinces.

Target provinces include Central Province, Western Province, Morobe, Eastern Highlands, East Sepik, and Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Since the COVID19’s emergence this year, Save the Children has been participating in the awareness and educational programs reaching out to children, parents and the general community in collaboration with the provincial emergency coordination units.  

Save The Children PNG’s COVID19 Response & Education Manager, Joy Wong said, in each of the provinces, there are coordination bodies that are chaired by the SOE Controller representative there, and the NGOS and PHAs and other organizations are part of it.

“So Save the Children participates in these provincial coordination bodies to make sure that all of the work that we’re doing is aligned and coordinated with the provincial efforts,” Wong said.

“For example in East Sepik SAVE the Children has been identified as the NGO that will support with all Radio Messaging, therefore other organizations will support in other ways, so we’re not duplicating efforts when we need to be diversifying.” Wong said. 

Radio jingles with COVID19 messages are prepared and played on Laif FM in Wewak together with other relevant community Toksave.

Similar principles are followed in the other five provinces in which SAVE the Children is carrying out awareness, education and outreach programs basing on their area of strength. 

In Eastern Highlands, Save the Children is engaging in community outreach activities while other organizations based on each of their strengths are engaged in different activities.  

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Advisor, Seta Menu said, the program in Western Province which responsible for the training and distribution of PPE equipment to front line health workers is in good progress. 

“Save the Children PNG is responsible for COVID19 in three areas; for health, for awareness raising as well as in education. 

“Under health we are procuring PPE equipment that are suitable for our staff to engage in community outreach activities. They are also providing training to the frontline health workers on how to use the PPE equipment. 

“We’ve done a training on COVID19 Emergency Response that’s provided by WHO so our team in Western Province have already completed the training,” he said. 

Besides the PPEs, SAVE the Children health teams are also distributing awareness materials and at the same time doing community awareness.

 

Author: 
Frieda Kana