Minister for Health, Jelta Wong applauded the international community and partners for standing in solidarity to support the Marape-Basil government in the fight against Covid-19 surge.
Minister Wong expressed his gratitude while making the opening remarks during the formal handover of the 132,000 vaccines from the Covax Alliance in Port Moresby on Thursday.
Minister Wong thanked the international community including countries, GAVI Vaccine Alliance and the UN Agencies for the support shown through the COVAX Alliance.
Wong said seeing the number of international flags displayed and people at the event got to show that the world is concern that Papua New Guinea must be vaccinated ensuring that the people live safer lives.
“This 132,000 doses from the COVAX facility, boosts the responsibility that the government has for its people.” Wong said.
He expressed deep gratitude from the Marape government for the efforts of individual embassies in preparation for the vaccines to arrive in the country.
“I want to commend the UN, I thank the UNICEF, WHO for leading efforts on the ground here in Papua New Guinea in providing essential technical support to the government to ensure the delivery of the vaccines.” He added.
The Resident Rep of the UN in Papua New Guinea Guanluca Rampola spoke on behalf of the UN agencies especially WHO and UNICEF.
“This first shipment we will support government in vaccinating the health and frontline workers. Not only the health workers, health and frontline workers across all provinces, including those that are at most risk of development complications from the virus.” He said.
He added that the vaccination of these priority groups has already begun last month following the shipment of 8,000 doses, which was a contribution from the Government of Australia.