USAID

These funds will reduce threats to biodiversity, strengthen traditional landowners’ rights, and promote women’s economic empowerment. 

U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, Erin E. McKee at an event to announce these awards said: “Conserving PNG’s natural heritage comes at a critical time when biodiversity faces grave threats around the world, with critical species and habitats threatened at alarming rates,”

Each grant recipient will receive resources and support under USAID’s Lukautim Graun biodiversity project.  

This assistance will help accelerate widespread and equitable access to and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, strengthen health systems, and support other public health measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 and the recent emergence of the Delta variant in Papua New Guinea.

U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Erin E. McKee said, “Papua New Guinea is working hard to address the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic within its communities.”

Since achieving independence in 1975, PNG has struggled to translate its natural resource wealth into sustainable social and economic development for its citizens.

Despite being one of only 17 megadiverse countries, the USAID PNG Lukautim Graun Program (LGP) aims to protect Papua New Guinea’s rich biodiversity, which is under increasing threat from industrial development, population growth, and other anthropogenic factors.

The Lukautim Graun Program provides support to the PNG Government for conservation and protection of the country’s rich biodiversity. An estimated 85 percent of PNG’s population lives in rural and remote areas and, consistent with global trends, poverty levels are higher in these communities than in towns and cities.

The livelihoods and wellbeing of people living in these rural and remote areas is directly tied to the wellbeing and health of the environment. The stability and health of communities depends on the stability and health of the ecosystems that surround them.

The COVID-19 assistance began in April 2020 and will end in June.

When receiving the medical equipment and Biofire test kits from USAID, Country Representative for FHI 360, Dr Ignatius Mogaba said: “The assistance project is focused on strengthening the health system at the national level and within the National Capital District to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19.”

Dr Mogaba thanked the US and USAID for their continued support.

“We appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the COVID-19 response in PNG.”

These supplies were presented by the US embassy, under their USAID and partners International Organization for Migration, to the head of PNG’s National Disaster office, Martin Mose, at the Air Niugini Cargo Hangar yesterday.

These supplies will benefit at least 18,000 people in need of shelter, emergency water and sanitation.

The water and sanitation kits are meant for at least 45,000 families, and supply kits for 800 families.

The kits contain tarpaulins, nails, ropes, cooking pots, dishes, soap and 15 litre water containers.

As lead up of activity to commemorate the World Sight Day, a free eye testing school screening was done at Ted Diro Primary School this morning.

 The schools screening is an ongoing project funded by the USAID which will be carried throughout this year.

PNG Eye Care Ophthalmologist Dr. Jambi Garap says what the Eye Care Team try to do is to detect if there are any problems the students are facing with their sight.

“Usually the percentage of people who is most like to have some problem with their sight is about 3 to 4 % of the school population.”