The United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced USD $5 million (17.8 million Kina) in support to the Government of Papua New Guinea’s ongoing COVID-19 response.
Announced by USAID’s visiting Deputy Mission Director for the Pacific Islands and Mongolia, Betty Chung, this support includes USD $1 million in technical assistance to support the National Department of Health and key development partners to implement planned activities under the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism. USD $4 million will be used to install comprehensive liquid medical oxygen systems at Port Moresby General Hospital and Angau General Hospital in Lae.
USAID Deputy Mission Director Chung said, “USAID is proud to partner with the Government of Papua New Guinea and other key stakeholders to strengthen the country’s health system and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. I’d like to acknowledge our goodwill and partnership with the National Department of Health, National Control Center, and the COVID-19 Vaccine Ministerial Task Force. The milestones we have achieved to date would not have been possible without your strong commitment and enduring partnership.”
In response to Deputy Mission Director Chung’s announcement, Executive Director of the Task Force Api Kassman said, “We welcome the continued commitment from such a key partner as the United States. In particular the sustainable and long term focus of the investments that are being made. Strengthening technical capacity and health system infrastructure remains a priority of the government now and into the future. Building back better requires such sustainable investments that seek to benefit all of health, for all of Papua New Guinea.”
With this assistance, the U.S. government, through USAID and the U.S. Department of Defense, has provided more than USD $24 million (85.7 million Kina) to address COVID-19 in PNG. USAID support has helped the country implement internationally recognized infection prevention and control strategies, strengthen laboratory systems, vaccination rollout in the NCD, Madang, and Central provinces, case management, surveillance tracking, and trainings for PNG’s healthcare professionals about COVID-19 prevention, care, and vaccination.
This assistance is part of a global campaign by the United States to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and support equitable access to vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable. The U.S. is committed to partnering with PNG and other Pacific Island countries to end the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigate its devastating social and economic impacts, and build back a world that is even better prepared for future outbreaks.