Australia and Papua New Guinea are teaming up again to tackle the problem of snakebites.
They’re starting a new phase of their partnership to help people who get bitten by snakes.
St John Ambulance, Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) / Seqirus Pty Ltd, and the National Department of Health will all work together on this.
Before, the Charles Campbell Toxinology Centre and the Australian Venom Research Unit (AVRU) of the University of Melbourne worked on this project for five years.
Now, it’s passed to new hands to keep helping.
This partnership aims to make sure there are enough antivenoms for snake bites in Papua New Guinea.
They want to save lives by making sure the right treatment is available when people get bitten.
Since 2018, when this partnership started, over 2,000 lives have been saved. Also, more than 1,500 healthcare workers from 70 health facilities across 13 provinces have been trained in how to deal with snakebites.
The project also helps the government of Papua New Guinea make sure there’s always enough anti-venom available.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, John Feakes, was happy about this partnership.
“Australia is committed to supporting initiatives that save lives and improve health outcomes in Papua New Guinea.”
Dr. Dora Lenturut-Katal, the Deputy Health Secretary, stated, “Snakebites are a serious public health issue, and improved supply and specialist training are saving lives.”
Jules Bayliss, CSL Seqirus Medical Director also said, “We are proud to continue improving anti-venom access in PNG, enabling doctors and nurses to deliver the best patient care.”
Meanwhile, Matthew Cannon, CEO of St John Ambulance PNG, further added, “We’re proud to join this lifesaving partnership and look forward to contributing our expertise in training healthcare workers and distributing lifesaving anti-venoms, particularly in regional and remote areas.”
Andrew Maru, who works with the PNG Snakebite Partnership, said, “Continuing this partnership means we can train more people, deliver more anti-venoms, and enhance the response to snake bites in PNG.”
This partnership shows how countries can work together to solve big problems like snake bites.
It’s making a real difference in Papua New Guinea, saving lives, and helping people stay healthy.