Red Cross calls for immediate action to help Papua New Guinea amid surge in COVID-19 cases

On Monday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has called for coordinated international action to assist Papua New Guinea (PNG) in dealing with a record rise in COVID-19 infections which is overwhelming the country's health system. The recent wave of coronavirus has seen PNG reporting the highest number of daily cases since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a report by Al Jazeera. According to the government data, the country reported 376 new cases on Saturday, October 23, and has roughly 3,000 active cases. Uvenama Rova, PNG Red Cross Secretary-General, stated that hospitals were full and patients being turned away in provincial areas including the capital city, Port Moresby, reported the outlet. 

Rova stated that urgent measures and further support are needed in healthcare to avert a major loss of life in the coming days. “We are gravely worried that the risks of COVID-19-related hospitalisation and death are soaring across PNG, owing to insufficient health infrastructure, high rates of disease, and low access to safe water, hygiene, and sanitation facilities," he said in a statement as reported by Al Jazeera. According to official data, PNG's vaccination distribution has been significantly slower in many regions, with only approximately 2% of the country's population have been inoculated as of now. 

The government data does not specify the number of doses given, but according to Oxford University's Our World in Data, only 0.67% of people have been completely vaccinated. Experts believe that the vaccine rollout is being hindered due to misinformation, vaccination hesitancy, and the challenges of distributing vaccines around the country's rugged topography and distant coastal villages, reported Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, John Fleming, IFRC's Asia Pacific Head of Health, expressed concern about the country's situation and stated that PNG's vulnerable health system is at risk of collapse if this COVID surge continues at such an alarming rate. He also added that it's critical to expand emergency healthcare services to avoid further pain and loss of life, reported the outlet. Notably, Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania that consists of the eastern half of New Guinea's landmass and its Melanesia-based outlying islands. It is one of the world's most culturally varied countries. It is also the most rural, with only 13.25% of the population living in cities as of 2019.

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