As part of the Western Province Emergency COVID-19 team, ADI are working against the clock to get PPE and medical supplies to frontline hospitals and health centres in need. Yesterday alone, we were able to deliver 240x N95 masks, 45x protective goggles and 32 boxes of 100x protective gloves to hospitals and health centres in Western Province.
At the request of local government health authorities, our team in PNG are visiting remote communities in Western Province to tell them how they can protect their families from COVID-19, teaching how transmission works, demonstrating social distancing and showing the correct way to wash hands. The team distribute simple buckets and soap and help set up community handwashing stations which have the potential to save lives. ADI have also been creating and distributing a range of COVID-19 educational posters using the most up to date information available from the WHO. The posters, in both english and Tok Pisin, are simple and easy to understand and are being gratefully received by health professionals and community leaders alike. ADI are continuing to source and supply N95 masks, gowns, hand sanitiser and other related consumables needed by hospitals and health centres to respond to COVID-19.

On 15 April, ADI hosted a webinar in partnership with doctors Alison Brown (previous ADI doctor), Rebecca Taylor (ADI board member) and Becton Dickinson to staff at Kiunga Hospital. With content based on WHO recommendations and guidelines, the webinar focused on preparing hospitals, health facilities and their staff for COVID-19, the correct use of PPE and ensuring extended use of PPE. A Q&A session was also held after the webinar. A second webinar was then delivered to staff at Rumganie Hospital on 16 April.

At the invitation of local communities, ADI PNG Office Manager Aron Bale was accompanied by a nursing officers and local health workers to deliver public health awareness in Tiomnai Village and Gii Village in Western Province of PNG. Posters in Pidgin, education on COVID-19 and training in correct handwashing techniques soap and buckets were delivered to communities hungry for information on how they could protect their families from the virus. Community leaders were presented with soap and buckets so that handwashing stations could then be set up in each village. 

ADI has also had PPE shipped to hospitals and health centres in Kiunga last week and continue to actively source and order PPE and medical equipment as it becomes available for use in this province.

ADI Office Manager Aron Bale has been working with local health facilities and staff in Kiunga with their COVID-19 response. On 25 March 25, he attended the ‘Western Province COVID-19 Emergency Response Meeting’ held by Kiunga District Hospital, along with Catholic Health Services, ECPNG Health and the District Administration. During the meeting Aron expressed ADI’s offer to support in anyway we can, and distributed translated WHO posters on COVID-19 prevention. Posters were also distributed to Rumganie Hospital staff and health facilities based in Matkomnai and Ningerum.

In the first week of April, ADI is conducting a one-day awareness patrol to Tiomnai Village with a small team including Aron, a nurse and community health worker. The team will deliver community education and awareness on COVID-19, distribute posters, soap and buckets to promote good hygiene practices. ADI Sydney is continuing to work to procure and ship PPE to hospitals in the province.