COVID-19

Passengers intending to travel must comply with the following:

1. Complete Air Passenger Travel Form (APTF)
2. Provide valid passenger contact number and valid emergency contact name and number.
3. Submit with photo ID prior to issuing ticket (for tracking purposes)
4. Provide valid reason for travel in line with Domestic Travel Measures released 

Reasons for Travel:

The Morobe Provincial Health Authority CEO, Dr Kipas Binga, gave this response after he was asked about the procedure used to identify COVID-19 deaths.

Citizens are still skeptical with the methods used to identify a death as COVID-19 related.

Many have voiced concern that though their loved ones passed away from other medical conditions, the cause of death was listed as COVID-19.

Dr Binga was asked to clarify the matter during a media conference in Lae on Monday afternoon following concerns that a death from Butibam was wrongly identified as COVID-19.

Lae has 154 out of the province’s cumulative total of 167.

In a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Governor Ginson Saonu said apart from the 154 cases in Lae, Nawaeb has recorded eight, Markham and Bulolo with two each and Huon Gulf district has one.

The districts of Menyamya, Finschhafen, Tewae-Siassi and Kabwum are currently COVID-19 free.

“This does not mean the districts with no cases are not immune to COVID-19, but rather, it is most likely less tests are done in those places due to resources constraints,” stated Saonu.

Nineteen of the 26 were nurses.

This was the figure provided in Saturday’s progressive COVID-19 update for Morobe.

Apart from the health workers, four support staff also contracted the virus.

It was reported that 156 cases were detected within the province in a 20-day period. This includes the nine cases that were detected at Mungkip village, Nawaeb district, where eight have been cleared.

This will be one of the measures enforced as part of the national isolation strategy.

In a joint circular issued by the Department of Personnel Management Secretary, Taies Sansan, and Controller David Manning, it was outlined that some agencies have already commenced testing beginning March 8^th and are awaiting results.

“Subject to the results of the test, public servants who test positive will automatically be isolated and a second test is required until the result is negative and they can resume work.

Tarutia said COVID-19 prevention and containment requires distancing from one another. This is a problem for Nasfund members as a majority do not have their own homes and live with extended family.

He also pointed out the the inadequacies of the country’s current health system, as COVID-19 transmission rates escalate throughout the country.

“We already know how to grow member’s wealth, we have been doing this successfully since 2000 through late Sir Mekere’s superannuation reforms.

Nasfund Board Chairman, Charles Vee, announced this following the approval of the funds audited results at the find Board meeting on Wednesday March 10, 2021.

The results include a Net Profit of K222.9 million and a Net Asset Value of K5.57 billion for the year ending December 31, 2020.

In a statement Chairman Vee said the results were reflective of what has been the most challenging year for the Fund, particularly against a weakened economy and impacts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Testing kits, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies take a while to reach Morobe Province – PNG’s industrial hub and the most populous region in the country.

Morobe Provincial Health Authority chairman, David Wissink, said the other 21 centres of PNG and the autonomous region are not getting the same attention as Port Moresby. This leads to a delayed response in COVID-19 surveillance and monitoring.

Enga Provincial Administrator, Dr Samson Amean, who described the pandemic as “World War III” when announcing the lockdown measures, said it seriously requires the cooperation of the public to fight the disease.

He said the latest surge in COVID-19 cases through community transmission in the province was “worrying”, hence his committee had no choice but to impose restrictions, mainly on the movement of people.

Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey said today that Tuesday’s Budget Management Committee meeting No.49 instructed officials to urgently release K41.2 million in cash to Provincial Health Authorities.

“This is a necessary immediate step to deal with the growing COVID-19 health risks across the nation,” he stated.