The Papua New Guinea COVID-19 national pandemic response was boosted this week with the delivery of 10 vehicles donated by the PNG LNG Project. The vehicles were given to support the National Control Centre’s effort to fight against recent increase in COVID-19 outbreak in the Nation’s Capital.
Police Commissioner and Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response David Manning said the vehicles will go a long way in assisting the PNG government efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Mr Manning made this comment today when receiving the vehicles from ExxonMobil PNG’s Managing Director, Mr Andrew Barry, on behalf of the PNG LNG Project at the National Control Centre in Port Moresby.
“The two 25-seater buses, six mini-vans and two station wagons will greatly support the Centre’s COVID-19 response efforts to effectively move around and do contact tracing, community education, movement of Personnel Protection Equipment supplies and even test samples,” said Mr Manning.
Mr Manning said the donation from the PNG LNG Project has come at the right time to help stop the spread of COVID-19 cases which have been increasing daily, especially within the National Capital District in recent times.
“We greatly value and appreciate the assistance given by ExxonMobil PNG and the PNG LNG Project. With support such as this, I am confident that we will be able to curb the pandemic as we roll out the COVID-19 vaccines,”Mr Manning said.
ExxonMobil PNG’s Managing Director, Mr Barry, said as the Operator of the PNG LNG Project, the company is continuously looking at ways it can support the work that the National Control Centre was doing to prevent the spread.
“Partnership remains crucial in this fight to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are committed to doing our part to support the Government’s efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Mr Barry said.
In 2020, ExxonMobil PNG donated Personnel Protection Equipment (PPE) materials to the provincial health authorities in Hela and Central Provinces where PNG LNG Project operates, and supported prevention awareness efforts to educate people on necessary preventative measures against the spread of the virus.
The PNG LNG Project is also donating vehicles to the Hela Provincial Health Authority and the Central Provincial Health Authority. At the national level, the PNG LNG Project supported the National Department of Health (NDoH) and the COVID-19 National Control Centre with the donation of critical medical equipment and food rations through its partners to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
It has also assisted in flying NDoH supplies and materials between Port Moresby and the Hela Province, as well as the transportation of samples to the PNG Institute of Medical Research in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province for testing.
