YWAM Medical Ships Australia & Papua New Guinea (YWAM MS) have donated much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) to assist Papua New Guinea’s response to COVID-19.
The PPE, including 20,000 gloves and 3,620 masks, were donated after the National Department of Health and the World Health Organization requested support for frontline health workers in the COVID-19 response.
“We thank YWAM for the PPE and we encourage other organizations to do likewise,” said Incident Manager of the National Control Centre for the National Pandemic, Dr Daoni Esorom.
The donation will be followed by YWAM MS’ training and medical ship’s, MV YWAM PNG, redeployment to PNG waters next month.
YWAM MS Managing Director, Mr Ken Mulligan, said that they were delighted to be returning to PNG after making the difficult decision to suspend their outreach schedule last year due to the travel restrictions put in place in response to the pandemic.
“YWAM MS has now received a formal invitation from authorities in Papua New Guinea to return to PNG for the purpose of strengthening essential healthcare in rural communities.
“While the COVID situation is continually evolving, we plan to have the vessel in a state of readiness to respond flexibly in 2021 as circumstances evolve. The ship will initially dock in Port Moresby, with plans now underway to resume rural healthcare patrols to Western Province for an initial six-month deployment.
“We are eager to return and look forward to being back in PNG waters very soon,” said Mr Mulligan.
The MV YWAM PNG and her crew are due to set sail from Australia early next month.