The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will continue to put in funding support to improve the country’s health sector in providing health services to the people.
The USAID Administrator Her Excellency (H.E) Samantha Power said that health is another priority area for Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the partnership with the United States (US) is driving meaningful successes.
She said for 22 years of working together, both countries have been collaborating to combat HIV/AIDS and other forms of illnesses.
“Over 96, 000 people in the capital district alone have been tested, over 7, 000 people have been receiving Antiretrovirals, which are critical for both stopping the virus from causing life threatening illnesses and for stopping it from spreading across the community,” said the USAID Administrator.
“USAID will build on the success of these interventions and working with global fund, we will begin scaling them to other provinces that have been hard hit by HIV.”
She also added that there is a lack of liquid oxygen available for treating respiratory illnesses as shown during the COVID- 19 pandemic period, where USAID had to pitch in to support oxygen supplies.
“During COVID we supplied oxygen to the two biggest hospitals in PNG and now we are increasing that assistance.”
For this matter, Administrator Power said USAID is committing an additional million dollars to help health facilities invest in oxygen and other supplies that they need to treat these respiratory illnesses going forward.