Cholera Outbreak in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

I think this is an editorial, but note the large death count. This outbreak might not be over (or for that matter diagnosed fully) yet.

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090921/view03.htm

Take control of cholera before it?s too late

THE cholera and diarrhoea epidemics, largely unnoticed by the outside world, have quietly killed more than 300 Morobe villagers in hamlets, mostly reachable only on foot or
plane since the outbreak began early this month. Medical teams hesitate to go to remote villages as there is a lack of security, weak infrastructure and shortages of food for residents, let alone for visitors. ?It?s very
difficult for the health workers to reach individual homes to treat the sick. They should be brought to the nearest health centre. But villagers bring the sick only when it is
too late.? The number one challenge in providing assistance is access to the affected areas. Lack of community awareness about the causes of cholera is a major factor of the epidemic.
Villagers defecate in open areas, drink water straight from streams carrying waste from upriver settlements, do not wash hands before eating, and have little sense of personal
hygiene or sanitation. The Government must be held accountable for not taking the cholera issue seriously and undertaking strong awareness building campaigns.
There has also been very limited coordination of supply and distribution of medicines and materials.
There are no complete sets of equipment at health centres to treat the patients. I think the Government has not done as much as it could have.

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/859

Panic at Lae police station cells
Source:
DOREEN POLOH WAIM
MORE than 70 detainees at the Lae Central police station at Top Town panicked after one of their members started having diarrhoea.
The frightened detainees climbed the cell walls and started to call out to police officers to remove them.
?They are freaking out,? a policeman said.
Their fears were exacerbated after one detainee was taken ill on Saturday and had to be transferred to the cholera quarantine and treatment centre at Angau Memorial Hospital.
Police said the detainee was arrested from a settlement at Busu Mountain.
Metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai said health officers at the centre confirmed that he was diagnosed with cholera.
He added that the detainee, who was sick yesterday, was diagnosed with malaria.
Supt Mondiai said yesterday that after the incident on Saturday, there was panic and fear at the police station among the other detainees in the cells and police personnel.
He convened an emergency meeting on Sunday with senior officers to initiate steps to deal with the situation.
Supt Mondiai said that Health officials sprayed the cell area with chlorine on Sunday night.
?Any prisoner taken out was also sprayed,? he said.
As a safety and precautionary measure, the police station gates were closed yesterday to keep track of the number of people entering the station.
Police officers were also supplied with gloves and masks as part of workplace safety.
Small crowds of people who gathered in front of the police station yesterday were advised about the situation.
?With the current situation, we are trying to only deal with people with genuine complaints and not allowing unnecessary people to frequent the station,? he said.
Supt Mondiai said there were 72 detainees at the five police cells blocks and they were not going to allow new intakes.
He said after the meeting on Sunday, some detainees who were arrested on minor crimes were released on bail.
?Under the circumstances, we are having flexible bail conditions,? he said.
The rest of the detainees will be taken to the court house for their cases to be decided, Supt Mondiai said.
He said those who needed to be detained would go to Buimo jail.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090922/tuhome.htm

Cholera shuts police cell

By PORENI UMAU

CHOLERA has forced the closure of the Lae police station cell block.
The closure of the cell from taking in new offenders was confirmed by the Lae City metropolitan superintendent Nema Mondiai yesterday.
A notice has been put up to tell the public that the cell block is closed until police receive medical advice that it is safe to be used.
The central police station has been closed from further intake of new cases after one offender in the cell block was suspected to have contracted cholera after he experienced
severe diarrhoea last Saturday. SUPT Mondiai said that as a precautionary measure, minor offenders were released on bail while those with serious cases would appear before the Lae district court starting yesterday.
He said that the cell block would remain closed, hoping that those who appear before the court should finish their cases by today.
The 71 offenders were referred to the district court yesterday for officers from the cholera treatment centre at the Angau Memorial Hospital to clean the cell block.
Supt Mondiai said they would not take in anymore new offenders at the cells until the cell block was cleaned and declared safe by medical staff from the cholera treatment centre.
He said police had taken this stance after one of the offenders experienced diarrhoea last Saturday, with fear that the illness might be spread to the other cell occupants and had intervened for the other 71 offenders to leave the cells as soon as possible. Meanwhile, a Lae resident yesterday complained that the State of Emergency declared in Morobe had failed. Mr Richard Doilegu said there was nothing to show for the emergency operations in Morobe. He said there were no quarantine checks at jails, police lockups, airports, wharves and on the highway, allowing the cholera disease to spread to other parts of the country. ?Now the police cell has been closed, where will the new prisoners go?? he asked. He said games and even church gatherings should be restricted.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Umm, wow. Of all the things affecting health in Lae, I don't think drunk students is the problem. I think someone is taking advantage of this outbreak to enforce rules.

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=49232

PNG University in Lae to expel drunk students as part of cholera containment
Posted at 17:28 on 21 September, 2009 UTC

The University of Technology in Lae in Papua New Guinea is getting tough with drunk students and illegal residents at its campuses, as it battles the cholera outbreak in the province.

The National newspaper reports UNITECH will now expel any student found drunk rather than referring them to the administration?s disciplinary committee.

It says the move has been necessitated by the cholera outbreak in Lae, and the fear drunk students would be less likely to observe good hygiene and so be more susceptible.

The university has also limited visitors to the campus.

It says it will carry out a house-to-house survey to rid the institution of students? family members or wantoks staying in the residential facilities.

News Content ? Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=86238

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Cholera patients battle stigma

Photo: Cathy Williams/IRIN
The Cholera Treatment Centre at Angau Hospital in Lae
LAE, 22 September 2009 (IRIN) - An ongoing cholera outbreak is killing a growing number of people in Papua New Guinea and making scores more ill. But the disease is also having a severe effect on survivors.

This is the first known outbreak of cholera the country has ever experienced, and the government, the World Health Organization (WHO) and aid workers are struggling to raise awareness about the disease. Few people have ever heard of cholera, leaving infected people shunned and stigmatised.

One is Leah Peter, 25, from the Boundary Road settlement in Lae, the provincial capital of northern Morobe Province, which has experienced most of the cholera cases.

A few weeks ago, she woke up feeling weak and within a few hours was rushed to Angau Hospital in Lae by a friend.

"They put two drips into me and told me I had cholera. I didn't know what it was. My face had sunk in, my body was tiny," Peter told IRIN.

"When I looked through the tent flaps [of the hospital's cholera treatment centre], I saw people covering their mouths and noses and crossing to the other side of the street. I thought, 'What's this disease I have? I must be going to die from something really terrible,'" she said.

Peter survived her battle with cholera but when she returned to the settlement, the villagers ran away in fear.

"Everyone [ran away] - my nephews, cousins, friends. Only my friend, Monica Telba, stayed," said Peter. Her boss also told her not to return to her cleaning job. However, after two days of anger and depression, she resolved to fight for her rights.

Peter returned to the cholera centre and spoke to Karin Lind, the M?decins Sans Fronti?res (MSF) doctor who had treated her.


Photo: Cathy Williams/IRIN
Leah Peter with her list of questions about cholera
"She told me about the stigma she was experiencing. I called her boss to explain about the disease, and that Leah was not contagious, but it didn't work. I thought we could find her something to do here at the hospital. But she had another plan," said Lind.

Educating the community

The authorities still did not know the origin of the cholera outbreak, first reported in two coastal villages in Morobe Province. They suspect the highly contagious disease was brought in by Southeast Asian workers at a logging operation in the area, or aboard a fishing vessel.

Peter decided to run an awareness programme in her settlement to educate people about cholera.

"Rich people live a luxury life. They can buy good food, drink good water. They have education. They know about cholera and how to protect themselves. They don't have to be scared of it," she said.

"In settlements, we are poor and we live with germs. We don't know anything about cholera, so we get sick. That's not right."

Lind helped Peter develop the educational material for her programme, including information sheets about cholera.

"Leah came to me with a list of questions people had about cholera like, 'How do you get cholera?', 'What is the safest water to drink?', 'What food is safe to eat?', and 'What can I do to protect my family?'"

Monica Telba is also helping with the education project. "People in the community believe if you argue with someone, you get the cholera germ. But they are wrong," she said.

While virtually illiterate, between them Peter and Telba speak five of the languages spoken in their settlement, an advantage many outsiders lack. Besides distributing the information sheets, they plan to talk to people individually.

"You can give them a sheet of paper and tell them to read it," said Telba. "But they won't understand. And with radio it's in one ear and out the other. You have to take the time to sit and talk."

Fighting the stigma

Educating communities is the only way to overcome the stigma associated with cholera, said Sister Gatsia Muwete, senior nurse at Angau Hospital's cholera treatment centre.

"You can't blame people like Leah's boss, really. They've never heard about cholera before. We've had people who've died at the side of the road because no one wanted to take them to hospital.

"Nurses here at the hospital don't want to have [physical] contact with the nurses working in the cholera centre and avoid us. Of course, we are holding information courses on cholera to educate them," she said.

However, even educating health workers is a challenge.

"Only three nurses attended the information session today. But we'll get there," said Lind.

cw/ey/mw

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Not a first hand source, and not one I've dealth with before, but this one is back to blaming Pandemic H1N1.

Update: I believe that is a (mis)quote of this source: http://www.msf.org/msfinternational...BA&component=toolkit.article&method=full_html, which just says Influenza A, without the H1N1, and is post #248 in this thread.

http://www.reporterfreelance.info/2009/09/papua-new-guinea-msf-opens-cholera-treatment-center/

Papua New Guinea: MSF Opens Cholera Treatment Center

Papua New Guinea 2009 © Sally McMillan/MSF

At MSF's Cholera Treatment Center in Lae, a man is given a foot bath to reduce the spread of disease.

For the first time in 50 years, a cholera outbreak has hit Papua New Guinea. Mainly concentrated in the eastern Morobe province, the disease has so far infected 283 people according to official figures.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), already working in Lae, was able to mobilize quickly and assist the ministry of health in responding to the outbreak. Initially, an isolation ward was set up in the Angau Hospital, but when cases increased, a treatment center was constructed in the front of the hospital. The MSF cholera treatment center has a capacity of 84 beds, and so far, 90 patients have been treated by MSF teams.

“At the moment, we are not seeing a rapid increase in cases in Lae,” said Steven Cooper, MSF’s emergency coordinator. “However, as cholera is a highly contagious disease, we must remain vigilant. We are continuing to monitor the situation and assess more remote areas. We are hearing reports that cholera is affecting smaller villages, so we are sending teams to examine the situation, and we will be ready to respond if necessary.”

Raising awareness
As cholera has not been present in the country for 50 years, it has been challenging to raise awareness about treatment and prevention and in reducing the stigma surrounding the disease. For example, some public transport providers are refusing to carry patients, making it difficult for those in need to access treatment. Over the last few weeks, MSF has therefore focused energy on raising awareness about the disease by organizing workshops on hygiene and the use of chlorine, and briefing key members of the community including schools, pharmacies, and local NGOs.

Symptoms of cholera include profuse vomiting and diarrhea resulting in severe dehydration. Although it is a highly contagious disease, cholera can be prevented by following strict hygiene practices and using and drinking safe, clean water. Treatment is simple: most patients are treated using oral rehydration solution (ORS), which provides electrolytes to rehydrate the patient. More severe cases are treated using intravenous drips.

MSF will continue to provide treatment for cholera patients until the epidemic is contained. In addition to cholera, outbreaks of shigella and influenza A (H1N1) have been confirmed in Menyama district. MSF is planning to send a medical assessment team to investigate.

MSF has been working in Papua New Guinea since 2007. In addition to the current emergency response, teams provide free medical and psychological care for victims of sexual and domestic violence in Lae at the Angau Hospital. There is also a team in Tari, providing emergency medical and surgical care for victims of violence at the Tari Hospital.

Tags: cronaca, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
Posted 23 set 2009 by Sarah in HEALTH, SOCIETY, WORLD

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[Sally Furniss]

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea’s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea’s Morobe Province

Umm, wow. Of all the things affecting health in Lae, I don't think drunk students is the problem. I think someone is taking advantage of this outbreak to enforce rules.

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=49232

PNG University in Lae to expel drunk students as part of cholera containment
Posted at 17:28 on 21 September, 2009 UTC

The University of Technology in Lae in Papua New Guinea is getting tough with drunk students and illegal residents at its campuses, as it battles the cholera outbreak in the province.

The National newspaper reports UNITECH will now expel any student found drunk rather than referring them to the administration’s disciplinary committee.

It says the move has been necessitated by the cholera outbreak in Lae, and the fear drunk students would be less likely to observe good hygiene and so be more susceptible.

The university has also limited visitors to the campus.

It says it will carry out a house-to-house survey to rid the institution of students’ family members or wantoks staying in the residential facilities.

News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand

Part of the contingency plan

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/772

Zero tolerance
Source:
EVAH BANIGE
THE University of Technology (Unitech) in Lae has adopted a tougher stand against drunk students and illegal residents in its campuses.

Instead of drunk students having to face the administration’s disciplinary committee, they will be expelled without a hearing from now on.

The move has been necessitated by the cholera outbreak in Lae, due to which it was feared that drunk students would be less prone to observe good hygiene and, thus, be more susceptible to the cholera virus (edit cholera is a bacteria not a virus)

The administration will automatically terminate any student under the influence of alcohol trying to enter the university’s main gate.

The university has also limited visitors to the campus.

It has also pledged to carry out a house-to-house survey to rid the university of wantoks.

The stand was revealed by Unitech Chancellor Philip Stagg when accepting a petition by the Student Representative Council (SRC) on Tuesday.

The petition aimed to impress upon the senior executive management of the university to take measures to ensure that students do not contract cholera or dysentery.

Last Friday, the students had called for the university to close after suspecting fellow students of contracting cholera.

Mr Stagg said the administration had developed a contingency plan in case of an outbreak on campus.

A sick bay or cholera care centre was also erected for the ill to be held and stabilised before referral to the treatment centre at Angau Memorial Hospital.

The university has pledged to provide toiletries and disinfectant to be distributed to students on a weekly basis.

Mr Stagg also urged the students to take heed of advice from medical experts following a visit by an officer from the World Health Organisation on Monday.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/904

Fresh cases
Source:
PISAI GUMAR
THE dysentery and flu outbreak in Menyamya has been detected in a new area between Aseki in Morobe province and Kaintiba in Gulf province.
According to reports reaching the Menyamya task force designated to contain the outbreak, 394 fresh cases of the two diseases have been diagnosed.
Six deaths have been recorded ? four from dysentery and two from flu complications.Patients in the four villages in the Yangayu area were diagnosed with 189 dysentery and 205 flu cases.
But the general situation in the affected Kome and Wapi local level government area in Menyamya has been contained and under control, according to the task force.
The newly affected area shares its borders with Nanima-Kareba, Wapi and the Kaintiba LLG areas.
Menyamya emergency task force coordinator Micah Yawing had sent two teams last Tuesday into Yangayu to assess the situation and report back to him.
Meanwhile, the rest of the teams were assigned to carry out basic awareness on improving health and sanitation, with support from the PNGDF medical team.
?People must be educated to take ownership and responsibility to look after personal and family health and sanitation in their communities as a lasting solution,? Mr Yawing said. ?After 14 days of tireless effort combating dysentery and influenza in Menyamya district, the situation is contained and under control,? Mr Yawing said.
So far, a total of 14 health teams has embarked on personal and community health and hygiene awareness to educate the 21 affected areas from last Monday, starting at the Menyamya station.
The focus will be on the worst affected and densely populated Hakwange area that comprises the three ward areas of Kenali, Helolpa and Wanangapali.
The affected people will be educated on how to protect cooking and drinking water sources, water treatment, personal and family hygiene, use of proper pit latrines and to keep pigs fenced away from water sources and villages.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/902

Health facilities in a sorry state
Source:
PISAI GUMAR
NOT all Government health facilities in the disease-stricken areas of Morobe province are in operation.
Out of a total of 37 Government health centres and aid posts in Menyamya district, only 21 are operational.
The largest and the best of them is the Menyamya health centre, which itself is severely lacking in beds, louvres and ablution blocks, and a water supply system.
Of the 16 that are non-operational, eight are located in the Kome and Wapi local level government areas, while two are in the Kapao LLG area.
Nanima-Kareba LLG has four aid posts without orderlies or medication.
According to district health administrator Omin Gunua, these 16 were either rundown or shutdown.
He said factors contributing to the demise of these aid posts included transfer of orderlies or retrenchment without replacement.
Medicines could not be sent to the aid posts because of poor road conditions.
Meanwhile, the Lutheran Health Services has set up a health centre at Menyamya station and a mobile clinic in Aseki to support the three sub-health centres at Tawa, Kapo and Kwaplalim.
Two-man aid posts teams have been sent to Pinake in Wapi LLG, Sewi and Asakundi in Kome LLG.
These facilities are located on the border of Gulf and Eastern Highlands province to cater for the remote communities.
However, the main Government established health centre at Menyamya station coordinates the 36 sub health centres and aid posts in the district.
But all are below human health hygiene and sanitation standards.
Crucial things like water for patients and staff hygiene are a huge problem.
All water catchments tanks are rusty.
There are no delivery beds, no generator for lighting and no proper incinerator or waste disposal facilities, Morobe deputy provincial health advisor Micah Yawing noted.
Mr Yawing is the head of the Menyamya task force coordinating the swine dysentery and flu outbreaks.
Patients diagnosed with different cases are admitted in one ward of 15 beds.
Empty cartons are spread on top of the beds for the patients to use.
There are no separate male and female disease control units where STI patients can be separately interviewed and treated.
Security is very poor and drug and nutritional supplies are stolen.
The health centre buildings comprise outpatient wing and mini-laboratory, TB ward which is no longer in use, dispensary, general ward and treatment room, labour ward, minor theatre and antenatal clinic, nutrition and tools room.
All these are rundown.
There are no specialist staff to handle specific areas.
The pediatric ward was left unused and the roof has started to leak.
All 37 Government-funded health facilities are in very poor condition and below standard to cater for human beings, Mr Yawing said.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

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Madang fast food outlets shut
Source:
JEFFREY ELAPA
ALL fast food outlets in Madang were shut yesterday after the Madang provincial cholera technical task force and the town council issued closure notices.
The closures would continue for one week as a prevention measure against the spread of a cholera outbreak from neighbouring Morobe province.
The World Health Organisation and provincial health division had warned that the epidemic was likely to spread to Madang due to the frequent movement of people between the two provinces by road, ship and air.
Yesterday, all open air food sales markets were also empty.
The main fish market and the Kranket fried fish market in front of the Madang Resort Hotel stayed closed after the notices were issued on Monday.
All ice block and cold water sales on the streets were also banned and as of yesterday health authorities, the Madang Urban Authority and police moved around the town informing residents about the ban.
Early last week, Governor Arnold Amet said his government was committed to the regulations decided by the committee as the best proactive and precautionary measures taken to control the spread of the epidemic.
He said although there was no reported case in the province, the province was vigilant in case of a possible outbreak.
However, one fast food owner, Marylyn Harou, complained that the decision to close their operations was done in isolation because business houses were not asked for their views beforehand.
Ms Harou said the fast food outlets pay rent and shutting operations for one week would cost them dearly and their employees would not be paid their wages.
However, a journalist with NBC Radio Madang, Annisah Isamael, told The National that the decision was right and in the best interest of the majority of the people and businesses should appreciate it although they would suffer losses.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090923/wehome.htm

Cholera shuts school

By FRANK RAI

THE historic Dregerhafen Technical Secondary School in Finschhafen district of Morobe Province was closed down yesterday over cholera fears.
One student was rushed to the Braun health centre suffering from severe diarrhoea, which is a symptom of cholera while 900 students were sent home.
Provincial education officials fear the worst, if the case is confirmed, as the students all lived in dormitories, shared common shower blocks and toilets.
Yesterday, the Morobe provincial education division and Provincial Emergency and Disaster Centre were working around the clock to send a medical team to the school to
investigate the suspected case of cholera. Senior provincial assistant for general education services Joe Solulu and acting provincial education advisor Wavia Ganeki confirmed that a student was reported to be having
severe diarrhoea yesterday morning. ?The school is under threat now and anything could happen. We suspect cholera but it is yet to be confirmed and verified by the Cholera Treatment Centre once they fly into
Finschhafen and investigate the case. But without any reasonable doubt, severe diarrhoea is the symptom of cholera,? Mr Ganeki said.
Mr Solulu also admitted that there were fears that the case would be a sign of a disaster beca-use students lived in dormitories and shared common toilets andshower blocks.
He said the Braun Rural Hospital in Finschhafen was notified to contain the case while waiting medical and disaster emergency officers from the Cholera Treatment Centre.
Mr Ganeki said a notice was served to the school principal to suspend classes until the school was cleared by the Cholera Treat-ment Centre officers.
Braun Rural Hos-pital also confirmed that the hospital ambulance was rushed to the school yesterday morning to treat the student.
The hospital said it would not comment if it was cholera but the case was reported as severe diarrhoea and a nursing officer was left to take care of the student.
Due to the bad weather yesterday, it was understood that the team would be sent in today.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090923/wehome.htm

Call for planned settlements

By MAUREEN GERAWA

MAKESHIFT buildings or shanty houses are sprining up everywhere, especially in squatter settlements around Papua New Guinea.
But Morobe provincial health advisor Dr Like Theo said yesterday authorities will have to take a stand and ensure proper planning was done in urban areas to prevent such
settlements. These settlements, he said, will now have to be set up according to plans which will ensure all homes have good water supplies and proper toilets for people to use.
Dr Theo said the call for proper urban planning to include good water supply and proper sanitation for everyone was urgent because a disease like cholera was now in the
country. ?It?s a wake up call. We need to put up guidelines on how settlements are to be built so that there are proper toilets to prevent the spread of diseases,?? he said.
The majority of the cholera case were reported in Lae were from settlements.
He said this yesterday when giving an update on the outbreaks of cholera and dysentery in parts of Morobe which had resulted in a state of emergency being declared in the
province. ?It calls for proper water supplies, sanitation, pro-per toilets. If you can?t maintain hygiene, you are bound to have problems,?? he said.
He said there had been no reports of new cases of cholera in the past 10 days from Wasu and Lae where the disease was first reported.
There was one case reported on Friday, but this person is from Finchafen area and was admitted at Angau Hospital and is recovering.
He said the flu and dysentery epidemic was worse in Menyamaya but is being brought under control.
A few cases from Bulolo, 65 kilometres from Menya-mya, were reported but there were no new cases in the past 10 days.
?It?s a sporadic spread. You?d think that it is to do with the movement of people. They popped up everywhere,?? said Dr Theo.
He said both outbreaks were brought under control because people had responded positively to the health and hygiene awareness messages that were being conducted throughout the
province by churches, non-government organisations and government teams.

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

I can't resist a REALLY bad pun - this man was ON THE LOOSE!!!

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/955

Detainee with cholera on the run
Source:
DAISY TANIOVA PAWA
A DETAINEE from the Lae police station, who was taken to the Angau Memorial Hospital cholera treatment centre last Saturday, has escaped from the hospital.He was being treated for cholera.
He is on the loose after escaping on Sunday.
Medical workers are fearful that the man, who was caught at the Situm Mountains last week, now posed a threat to the public.Doctors are appealing to the public to return the man to the treatment centre.
They said that if the man did not return, he would eventually die ? after having infected the people who harbour him.Meanwhile, the death toll in Lae from cholera has been revised from seven to five after two deaths were confirmed to be from other illnesses.
This was the information presented by Angau hospital chief executive officer Dr Polapoi Chalau at the briefing of the outbreak task force meeting yesterday.
Figures for Menyamya and Wasu were not available.
The provincial programme adviser for the division of health, Dr Likei Theo, however said he had received reports from health officers in Kabwum early yesterday stating that there were three cases of adults with severe diarrhoea and abdominal pains.
The total number of patients who have been treated at the centre now stands at 299, with 100 admissions.
During the briefing, the provincial health inspector, Peter Watoro, also announced that the water supply and sanitation survey had been completed.
This information will now allow the task force to come up with an action plan to address the water and sanitation issues in the settlement areas of the city.
Some of these settlements had proved to be hotspots for cholera.
Mr Watoro also said food safety surveillance had been carried out daily on food bars.
He said that if these food bars were found to be unsafe and unhealthy, they would be given 72 hours to improve or face closure.
He said an inspection was also carried out at the Lae city police cells after reports that a prisoner had been suffering from diarrhoea.
It was found that the cell ablution block was overflowing with sewerage caused by a blockage.
Mr Watoro said the cells would be closed tomorrow to allow for maintenance.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090925/frhome.htm

Nurses in Lae walk off their job

By HAIVETA KIVIA

CLINICAL nurses working in urban health centres in ?cholera affected? Lae city have walked off their jobs since Tuesday over non-payment of their nursing awards by the
Morobe provincial administration. The nurses are paid under the 711 payroll of the provincial administration and have not been paid their industrial award since it was approved by the National Government early
this year. This walk-off has placed a lot of strain on the remaining workforce and with the cholera outbreak in the city, it is serious. Acting Lae district health administrator Julianna
Niakambari said Taraka Health centre was currently manned by community health workers and it wasn?t right and staff at other facilities were stressed out.
Ms Niakambari confirmed that many nursing officers stationed at the health centres throughout the city walked off their jobs on Tuesday.
?They are adamant that the provincial administration must pay their dues before they return to work,? Ms Niakambari said.
She said the nurses had organised themselves to solve the issue in an amicable manner but the provincial administration?s human resource manager had not met with them, leading
to the walk off. She said the nurses walk off was illegal but the blame now lay with the human resource manager and his staff for not meeting with the nurses to solve the problem and assure them
of their payment. A nurse said every time they made appointments to see human resource manager Miring Singoling, he made excuses that he was busy and they should come at another time or he was in
a rush to go elsewhere and would not meet them. ?All these times he was very busy and now we want to show him that we are also busy trying to get our awards sorted out and we will not be at the clinics. He can go treat the patients if he reckons he is smart,? she said. She said her group also tried to have an audience with the provincial administrator Kemaseng Tomala but his personal assistant and the executive officer would not allow them to meet him. ?This has angered us to take the action that we have taken,? she added. The Post Courier called the provincial administration to speak to Mr Singoling but was told that he was in Port Moresby. The provincial administration earlier this year had paid some of the nurses? colleagues their awards and paid another two half of what they were owed and then decided to cease
the payouts to remaining nurses without notice.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090925/frhome.htm

Cholera to spread if not contained
Medical professional calls Govt to support SOE

By PATRICK LEVO

THE cholera virus [edit: bacterium] will spread far and wide in PNG unless the Government honours its commitment to support the medical state of emergency in Morobe.
That?s the blunt reality from medical controller in Morobe, Doctor Victor Golpak.
Frustrated by lack of funding since the SOE was declared two weeks ago. Dr Golpak said funding was non existent and medical operations were relying on partners to carry out
relief work. He said cholera will spread to other parts of the country by the movement of people. ?It has already reached Goroka and where there is a road link, it will reach far and wide,? he said. Disappointed, the controller said: ?We have not received any funding from the Government. We need K8m to properly do the job of containing the disease in Morobe.
?Otherwise, I am sorry to say that cholera will spread because the Government has failed to commit to the task.?
He said the Morobe government?s commitment of K500,000 was still forthcoming.
Dr Golpak called on both the provincial and national governments to provide the funds for medical teams to carry out their work.
He is in Port Moresby today to brief the Government on the battle to stem the cholera, dysentery and influenza epidemic in Morobe.
Dr Golpak is hoping that by being blunt, the government will realise the seriousness of the situation.
Dysentery and influenza were first reported in the Menyamya mountains of Morobe. These diseases have spread to the Kotidanga LLG of Kerema, Gulf Province and the Marawaka LLG,
and Obura LLG of Eastern Highlands Province. Cholera broke out in Wasu in Tewae Siassi and since then, has spread to Lae, Morobe Patrol Post, Kabwum in Morobe and up to Goroka in Eastern Highlands.
The death toll from dysentery and influenza was well over 100 while cholera has claimed more than 15 lives.
Dr Golpak also said that dysentery and influenza were being brought under control in Menyamya.
He said media reports suggesting fresh outbreaks were mere speculations ?as these outbreaks are months old? and were only reported because health workers or community police had
to walk long distances to report to the nearest government authorities. Dr Golpak thanked the medical workers who have worked tirelessly against all odds to battle the three diseases, including the businesses companies and partners who have assisted in the effort. The medical controller was also pleased that public awareness on the disease has created an atmosphere where people are becoming more aware of the diseases threatening their lives. Dr Golpak was medical controller during the Cyclone Guba floods in Northern Province.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090925/frhome.htm

Taskforce visiting risk zone

By CALDRON LAEPA

THE Gulf Provincial Health division has sent a taskforce into Kaintiba to assess the situation of dysentery and flu in the area.
Provincial health director Ben Bal said they had not received any reports of flu and dysentery from the health centres in Kaintiba, Hawabango and Bema.
?There has been no report of flu and dysentery from the officer-in-charge of Kaintiba health centre to date,? Mr Bal said.
Mr Bal said his office was on alert and had sent six teams of health workers into Kaintiba .
He said the first team left on Tuesday and the rest left yesterday.
He said the division was on alert after cholera cases were reported in Menyamya, which is the Morobe district that shares the border with the Gulf Province.
Mr Bal said the team will be visiting the three major health centres in Kaintiba Local Level Government to assess and survey cases of dysentery, flu and cholera. Mr Bal said an
officer was sent yesterday into Kaintiba and would go on to Menyamya to check if there were patients from Gulf ill with dysentery, flu or cholera in Morobe health centres.
The provincial health division anticipates receiving the report from the officers by today (Friday).
He said the teams sent in to carry out physical assessment and surveys were also equipped with medical supplies.
These supplies include antibiotics, IV fluid and oral rehydration solution.
Mr Bal said the provincial health division had established a working committee to take counter measures of cholera situation if there were any reports of the diseases in the
province after the on the ground survey was completed.
He said although there were no cases of cholera in Kaintiba, his office would like to be on alert and respond when the need arises.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=49392

Three weeks into emergency, PNG health woes ease
Posted at 09:26 on 29 September, 2009 UTC

Health officials in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province say they have gone two weeks without reports of deaths after separate outbreaks of cholera, dysentery and influenza had earlier claimed around 130 lives.

A public education programme, brought in after a public health emergency was declared three weeks ago, is credited with making people more particular about the need for safe hygiene practices.

Meanwhile in neighbouring Eastern Highlands, Oxfam New Zealand?s Dave Neru has been helping raise awareness as part of two-pronged effort to ensure the diseases don?t spread there.

?One is personal hygiene. There is some education and equipment being sent out to the remote health centres and border properties. You know with the health campaign it is demonstrating and educating the population in good sanitary practices. We have been assessing water supplies as well. The basis of good hygiene is a safe drinking water supply and water supplies used for food preparation.?
While Eastern Highlands has had just one cholera victim so far Dave Neru says Oxfam is helping build an isolation unit at the local hospital, in case the epidemic spreads.

News Content ? Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

It is probably a good idea to remove the "Breaking" sign next to this thread, as it is no longer breaking news and is now almost six weeks old.

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=49383

Health emergency in PNG’s Morobe province extended
Posted at 01:38 on 29 September, 2009 UTC

A public health emergency in Papua New Guinea’s Morobe Province will remain in place for several more weeks as health officials ensure that two separate outbreaks of disease have been brought under control.

The death toll from influenza and shigella around Menyamya and cholera in Wasu and Lae is put at about 130 by the provincial health administrator, Dr Likei Theo, but he says there have been no reports of deaths for two weeks now.

He says the public health emergency, which has focussed more resources on alerting people on how to prevent spreading the diseases, will continue for the next two or three weeks as officials continue to monitor the affected areas.

“At the moment I think we have gone from a situation where critical cases were coming in - I think we have managed that situation well and have brought it under control. Now we are looking at the phases like trying to tackle the problems of water and sanitation infrastructures.”
Dr Likei Theo, the Morobe province’s health administrator

News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090930/wehome.htm

Doctors monitor suspected cholera cases

By Simon Eroro

TWO people suspected of being cholera victims have been isolated in Popondetta.
Doctors at the Popondetta General Hospital are monitoring the symptoms closely while awaiting to the isolated patients? specimens to Port Moresby for tests.
The acting chief executive officer of the hospital, Dr Gunzee Gawin told the Post-Courier yesterday that awareness and presentations were being conducted for hospital staff.
The hospital has already put in place containment strategies to tackle the illness.
He said the hospital has prepared teams for surveillance and treatment and is prepared for any outbreak.
It had already identified places for isolation as a cholera treatment centre in the province.
Dr Gawin also called on the provincial government to stop roadside selling, strictly monitor food outlets and ban if necessary and immediately restrict movement of people from
Morobe Province, especially betel nut buyers, until the sickness is cleared.
He said the provincial health must now be more creative and assist in manpower in the province and conduct awareness on hygiene environment.

 

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Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

Re: 177 dead, 3300+ affected by several illnesses in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/1351

Hospital starts giving cholera shots
Source:
WALLACE KIALA
CHOLERA vaccination began at the Pacific International Hospital (PIH) last week, with nearly 20 individuals from organisations dealing with bulk food handling getting immunised.
PIH vice-chairman Dr Mathias Sapuri said yesterday the oral inactivated vaccine, Dukoral, was available at the hospital for children aged two to six years and seven years to adults, which effectively protected the body against the bacteria for up to 18 months.
Dr Sapuri said this was the hospital?s response to the public private partnership in public health care under the Government?s health reforms and he called on all health facilities in the country to follow suit.
?This vaccine was not just introduced recently to PIH but we?ve had this vaccine here for years now, even before the cholera outbreak in PNG.
?Frequent Papua New Guinean travellers to Asia and Africa had been taking the dose and continue to do so to guard against cholera, which is common in these regions,? Dr Sapuri said.
He urged health workers, workers in the food industry and others working in environments where they were constantly exposed to the public to get the vaccination available at a cost of K10 per full dose.
The vaccine helped build up intestinal lining and creating antibodies to guard against the cholera bacteria.
From information released by PIH, the vaccine, however, is not the only measure in the prevention of cholera outbreaks, and clean and hygienic practices are still highly recommended.
While the vaccine is safe for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers, it was not immediately recommended to be taken by those with acute illnesses and conditions such as those with advanced HIV.
Basic immunisation comprises two doses for adults and children over the age of six.
Children two to six years should receive three doses which are to be administered at one week intervals.
Satisfactory protection against cholera can be expected about two weeks after completing the basic immunisation course.
Dukoral is supplied as granules dissolved in 150ml of water as a full dose.