Papua New Guinea

Oxfam: New Zealand must do more for PNG – urgently

November 16, 2021

Papua New Guinea faces a deadly pandemic of misinformation

In response to the New Zealand government sending a medical and logistics support team to Papua New Guinea (PNG) over the weekend, Oxfam Aotearoa says that while essential supplies and support is a good contribution, the government can, and must, do more.

Oxfam Aotearoa Communications and Advocacy Director Dr Jo Spratt said:

“Recently, we heard Hon. Minister Mahuta outline how Aotearoa would partner with Pacific countries to achieve resilience. Referring to our Pacific neighbours as family, the Minister recognised our deep and enduring whakapapa connections – Tātai Hono, and reiterated the importance of Tātou Tātou – all of us together. If there is any time to put these values into action, it is when one of our family members is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis. This support from the government is a good start, but more needs to be done and urgently.”

Oxfam Papua New Guinea Country Director Eunice Wotene says that as the third coronavirus wave escalates out of control in the country, people are experiencing a lot of challenges. There are multiple issues over Covid-19 vaccinations, lockdowns, and an overwhelmed health system further perpetuating an already stressful situation.

In an effort to control the outbreak, the PNG government has put in place control measures banning gatherings of more than 20 people and encouraging the general public to follow the “Niupela Pasin” (new normal). Provincial Controllers like that of the Eastern Highland Province have implemented travel restrictions across the borders between districts. Wotene says that control measures implemented at the provincial level have helped reduce the spread of infection and has resulted in a reduction in the number of cases presenting at the hospital. However, this has also caused challenges and restricted people from getting to vaccination centres. It has also created economic challenges for people because they can’t get to markets, sell their produce, and earn an income to sustain themselves. This has, in turn, led to an increase in other social issues like petty crimes.

Thousands of doses of the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been coming into PNG from neighbouring countries, but despite the large number of vaccines, PNG is struggling to get its vaccination rates above 9 per cent. Wotene says that while vaccines are welcome and needed, people are either misinformed about the risks, or unable to get vaccines:

“The situation is complicated. Many of our people live in remote rural villages. Information and vaccines aren’t reaching them, and travel restrictions between district borders make things difficult. For some people, even if they could make it to a clinic, they aren’t going because of the misinformation out there about the vaccines’ side-effects. There is a real sense of urgency now that we must do all we can to reach these people.

“In some villages, two or more family members have died from Covid-19, just days or weeks apart. We have a health system overcome with sick people and our people are dying.”

Local and international media recently reported that due to Port Moresby morgues being overwhelmed with the dead, PNG authorities had no choice but to approve mass burial.

New World Bank research, titled Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy: Survey and Experimental Evidence from Papua New Guinea, examined the motivation behind vaccine hesitancy in Papua New Guinea and tested various means of increasing people’s willingness to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. The report found that one of the main hurdles for Papua New Guineans was the fear of the vaccine itself. However, people’s replies also indicated they were open to learning more, particularly if information came from health workers. The research showed that when people were given basic information on the safety of the vaccine and the dangers of Covid-19 that increased the percentage of people who said they were willing to be vaccinated.

Wotene said: “We need health workers to go to the people to provide useful and factual information and help ease their fears. There is also need for mobile clinics where people from the rural communities can be reached for vaccination.”

Dr Spratt said: “In addition to the recent support and supplies, the NZ government should send new emergency funding to support the PNG government and other development partners to rapidly roll-out vaccine information campaigns across the country. This could be done through village health workers, local radio stations and other locally-appropriate communication methods.

“New Zealand still has millions of spare AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines that we are not using here. We can and should donate these to PNG.”

Ends

Notes:

See the full report Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy: Survey and Experimental Evidence from Papua New Guinea

Thank You – Clean Water Appeal Donation

Thank you for your generous gift!
You will receive your donation receipt via email.

On behalf of mothers and babies in Papua New Guinea, our local partners, and the team at Oxfam Aotearoa, I wanted to say thank you so much for your donation.

You are supporting systemic change which means your donation will have maximum impact. Your generosity is helping to create sustained, transformative change across families, communities, and generations.

We can’t thank you enough for your generous support and display of kaha (courage), tika (justice) and mannakitanga (connectedness). Together we are working to build a better world now and for future generations

Jason Myers,
Kaiwhakahaere Executive Director, Oxfam Aotearoa

Keep updated with our projects on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Oxfam concerned with the recent spike in PNG COVID-19 cases

August 2, 2020

Oxfam in PNG with its local partners is deeply concerned with the recent spike in the number of COVID-19 cases reported in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The recent increase within the communities exposes many people, particularly the most vulnerable, to the risk of possibly contracting the virus.

Oxfam PNG Country Director, Anand Das, explained that in response to the alarming number of new COVID-19 cases Oxfam remains committed to supporting the work being done by Government in ensuring the safety of its citizens especially in vulnerable communities by re-enforcing the need to adhere to COVID-19 protocols and preventative measures.

“We have observed that there is still a large number of people who are not adhering or are unable to adhere to the preventative measures enforced by Government and this is extremely worrying. The National Department of Health has also reported seeing community transmission in the National Central District, making our work in amplifying our awareness messages even more vital at this point,” said Mr Das.

PNG lifted its COVID-19 Pandemic State of Emergency on 2 June 2020 and in the first week of July three more cases were confirmed. Thereafter, the total number of reported cases increased to 31 and then 62 within just a few days. As of 1 August, total cases have now increased to 91; including 51 active cases and two deaths.

The PNG government has taken immediate action by restricting domestic travel, increasing provincial border checks, and making wearing of masks mandatory, restricting public gatherings, imposing of curfews and intensifying contact tracing efforts.

“Testing clinics have also been set-up in various centres and the St John’s Ambulance is also providing testing services at a small fee to assist. We encourage people to take advantage of this service and most importantly to adhere to the protocols,” said Mr Das.

He explained that there is growing concern also with the lack of understanding by the public on the need to utilise these clinics and the laxity in adhering to the preventative measures. “There is a need for more coordinated communication to re-enforce the messaging and this is where civil society organisations, NGOs and local partners can assist in reaching out to the people.”

Oxfam has initiated its COVID-19 Response Plan with support from the Australian Humanitarian Partnership Disaster Ready (DFAT) programme to spread community awareness through different forms of local and international media. Assistance received from the New Zealand Government (through MFAT) is also being initiated with an integrated approach of public health projects, awareness on COVID protocols, addressing food and income security of vulnerable populations and supporting district and provincial administration in the response.

“With the restrictions, our immediate concern is the safety and well-being of our staff and their families as well. We are also concerned with the safety of our partners in the communities and we may consider scaling down some of our programs on the ground and focus more on risk communication and community engagement by providing more COVID-19 awareness through the media,” explained Das.

Das also added that cases are expected to increase, and Oxfam in PNG will focus on community outreach and awareness on COVID-19 protocols throughout the next 12-18 months, while concentrating on building resilience of communities through food security and nutritional activities, hand hygiene and safe sanitation, and gender and inclusion, including addressing gender relations and women’s increased workloads in the long run and supporting district and provincial administration in finalising their COVID-19 Response Plans.

– ends –

For interviews or more information please contact: 
Kelsey-Rae Taylor | [email protected] | +64 21 298 9854

Empowering School Girls In PNG

You can Help Senzie finish her education, and have the chance of a better future.

“I would like to finish my education, go to work like other people do. I want to become a journalist and to travel around the world” – Senzie, 15 years old.

As a female student living in a rural community in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, life is uncertain. Despite Senzie’s ambition, she faces a massive challenge to complete her education. Every month, Senzie struggles to manage her period without basic resources like pads or tampons and is hampered by cultural taboos around the subject. Place yourself in her shoes. If you missed a week of school every single month, would you have been able to complete your education?

“Sometimes when we girls have periods, we stay at home. Because there’s no safe place for us to dispose our rubbish or change.” – Senzie.

A young girl should not be restricted or held back by her period.

You can help to empower Senzie – and girls just like her – to hygienically and safely manage their periods and ensure they receive an education. For Senzie, an education equals the chance to escape poverty and have a better future.

5 TIMES THE IMPACT: Donate today and your donation will have five times the impact thanks to the New Zealand Aid Programme.

“With your help and support we can give the children a better education. We can provide for the educational needs of both the boys and the girls” – Mr Kaupa, school principal, Papua New Guinea

Here’s how you can empower Senzie to have a better future:

Your donation will see you become a part of Oxfam’s four-year FLOW programme. Along with other generous donors, you will reach 12 rural communities and impact 30,000 people. You will help to provide:

• Reusable pads for school girls. (Made by locals for locals, creating jobs and income)

• Safe, gender-separated toilets.

• Menstruation, hygiene and sanitation training to communities.

• High-quality, long-term sustainable water supplies and sanitation infrastructure in 12 schools and eight health centers.

[gfchart id=”37600″]

Here’s how we’re helping rural farmers in Papua New Guinea

June 24, 2019

The onions from Steven Bare’s garden in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea bring more smiles than tears. He’s thrilled to harvest another bumper crop.

Steven and his wife Maria have turned their family’s fortunes around since taking part in an Oxfam project that helps rural farmers improve the quality and quantity of their bulb onions.

Steven says, “In the past, we spent time in the gardens, but not as seriously as what we are doing today. When we got our heads together and started this group, Oxfam introduced the bulb onions to help us move forward. Oxfam funded the project, and with this came a lot of good things and change.”

Thanks to you, business is booming for Steven and the other families in his farming co-op.

“We became more engaged with this work and it has affected our way of thinking and working. We now have set aims and goals. Oxfam gave us bulb onion seeds. With this, our lives have changed a lot.

“This will be the third harvest. We distribute the income equally amongst the four families. With the second harvest’s sales, we put the money into school fees and invested more in bulb onions.”

The father of four daughters says, “In the past, we never thought we could live this type of life, living well … simply because we had no money. We did not have good things that make up a house, like nice plates, cups, mattresses, and pillows and blankets. But when Oxfam came in, we were introduced to bulb onions and this product brought money, just enough for us to buy what we always wished for.”

With a proud smile, he says, “This is life-changing.

Story originally featured in Oxfam Australia’s Voices July 2019.

It’s my dream to continue this work

April 3, 2018

Photo: Patrick Moran/OxfamAUS

“To the Australians and New Zealanders who are donating their money to support this work, it’s really touching the lives of the rural people. And that’s what I like to see. When you support people it brings joy to your heart.”

Oxfam is working alongside Kelly Inae, who owns Mountain Honey, and supporting him to provide training, advice and affordable equipment to rural beekeepers as part of a four year livelihoods project in Papua New Guinea.

“In a year of working with Oxfam I’ve trained almost 80 people. I supply them with my bee boxes and train them. They can bring their honey to me and I pay them in cash. This is greatly helping their living standards.

“I have managed to help all of these people through the support that Oxfam has given me. I am happy about this.”

The support that Kelly provides beekeepers across PNG means that many of them now generate enough of an income to support their families’ and save for the future.

“It motivates me to look at families and friends who have been able to build houses. It’s my dream to continue this work. In the future someone will say, ‘This house was built from honey money’ and I will love hearing that.

“Honey money giving people a house, honey money giving people an education, and honey money uplifting their living standards.

“I would like to say thank you to the Oxfam team who are supporting work in Papua New Guinea. I have been able to travel with Oxfam into areas where they are working here and I have seen a lot of things that are being done to help the community and it’s just amazing.”

This work is part of Oxfam’s HARVEST project – read more about it here.

*This project is partly supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Papua New Guinea

Thank you for your generous gift!You will receive your donation receipt via email.

Here’s how you can empower Senzie to have a better future:

The onions from Steven Bare’s garden in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea bring more smiles than tears. He’s thrilled to harvest another bumper crop.

“To the Australians and New Zealanders who are donating their money to support this work, it’s really touching the lives of the rural people. And that’s what I like to see. When you support people it brings joy to your heart.”

Thank you for your generous gift!
You will receive your donation receipt via email.