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

The blue text sounds like cholera (and the expletive belongs to the author, not me).

http://www.trupela.com/2009/09/15/goroka-hospital-urgently-needs-large-tent/

Browse: Home / Donations in Kind / An urgent request for a large tent
An urgent request for a large tent
By Robert on September 15, 2009

Goroka General Hospital is urgently needing one or more large emergency style tents to assist medicos with the current Outbreak. Patients have already been admitted with Cholera / Dysentery type symptoms and more are expected. This temporary accommodation would allow the Hospital to segregate infected patients away from the general Hospital population.

This urgent request comes direct from Dr. Joseph Apa – CEO, Goroka General Hospital. Anyone reading this in a position to assist by way of sourcing such a tent (similar to the one in the photo on the left) and/or organising the immediate transport to Goroka are asked to contact the Hospital’s CEO as soon as possible at info@ggh.org.pg or via a comment in the space provided below.

I believe that the current Outbreak is going to get much worse. People around Goroka town continue to sell and eat “fast” market food – continue to cook with and drink unboiled dirty water – and so far I have yet to see the distribution of any information pamphlets or health officers conducting public awareness on the situation. (A few folks have seen an ambulance getting around town with loudspeakers going full bore)


It is unfortunate but last Thursday morning we lost a young boy in our village which is located on the Eastern Highlands and Simbu border – one day he was fine – the next morning, three hours of throwing up and shitting water and he drops down dead. Although the Health Authorities were notified – nothing has really happened – no visits to the village – no one to explain to the locals how to dispose of the body and clothes etc… nothing. This “all talk and no action” approach will see many more die before something of substance is put into effect.

Note: A Cholera information booklet recently made available by the Lae Chamber of Commerce containing some contents in Tok Pisin – Cholera Outbreak (Tok Pisin) (88.86 KB)




Today’s newspapers report the following stories on the Outbreak:

Dysentery deaths up
Post Courier: story by Haiveta Kivia and Willie Palme

SEVENTY TWO people were last night added to the list of people that have succumbed to dysentery, the water borne disease that is spreading like bushfire in Morobe, Eastern Highlands and Gulf provinces. The latest figures supplied by government officials bring the total number of people claimed by a dysentery outbreak in the three provinces to 177…



29 Die in EHP
The National: story by Zachery Per in Goroka

MEDICAL authorities yesterday revealed that 29 people in Eastern Highlands Province have died from dysentery, while one case of cholera has been confirmed…



Sewerage a health hazard
The National: story by Zachery Per in Goroka

GOROKA residents are being exposed to great risk of cholera and dysentery because of untreated sewerage being dumped into nearby creeks. Residents and community leaders including executives of Apoga Community Health Concern Group at the Fimito Road sewerage plant yesterday approached The National with concerns about their exposure to diseases. They said they were at risk as chemical treatment plant and instruments at the four treatment ponds had broken down, resulting in untreated waste being discharged into the nearby creeks, waterways and surrounding areas…

 

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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=49127

PNG Health officials say thousands continue to suffer from illnesses
Posted at 22:38 on 15 September, 2009 UTC

Health authorities in Papua New Guinea?s Morobe Province say diseases, which have claimed more than 100 lives are now less aggressive, but thousands continue to suffer.

The province has been hit by influenza and shigella in the inland Menymya area and cholera which has spread along the coast to include the capital, Lae.

The Morobe Provincial health administrator, Dr Likei Theo, put the known death toll at 120, though he says there have been no deaths from cholera for the past week.

However he says this doesn?t mean the situation is under control.

?We cannot say that it is completely under control because there are some new cases from villages which have not reported to us, so that trend is still going. We need to get our hands over them and say this is the extent of the illnesses. That is what we are trying to do because of the communication problem and accessibilities and all that.?
Dr Theo estimates that around six thousand people in the province are now suffering shigella and influenza.

 

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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

After not publishing on Sept. 16 because of independence day in PNG, the National paper returns today, with only this article involving disease in general

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/718

Out of reach
Source:
BOSORINA ROBBY
MISGUIDED priorities by successive governments have put Papua New Guinea way off the development track, so much so that it will be unable to achieve any of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) before the target date of 2015, a departmental head said on Tuesday.
The MDG were agreed upon by world leaders in September 2000 and are aimed at ending poverty, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender inequality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Secretary for Community Development Joseph Klapat said on the eve of Independence Day celebrations that PNG’s story was shameful because it was seen as a resource-rich country and yet suffered from curable illnesses like cholera and dysentery, TB, malaria and others.
“There is now a need for improvement by using the MDG as a yardstick to measure our progress,” Mr Klapat said.
He made his remarks on the occasion of the launch of the United Nations’ Millennium Campaign to encourage citizens to “Stand up and take action” to make their governments accountable on the MDG.
He called on all civil society groups and Government agencies and departments to get together to ensure that the goals were met before 2015. Mr Klapat said that instead of relying on funds to carry out the work, misguided priorities now need to be looked at, with the challenge of proper agency coordination issues taken into consideration.
He said that it was only the departments of Health and Education who were halfway towards achieving the goals. Mr Klapat co-launched the campaign on Tuesday with the deputy director of the UN Millennium Campaign for the Asia Pacific region, Minar Pimple.
The UN Millennium campaign was launched to encourage citizens to stand up and take action against poverty and to make governments around the world accountable and responsible for the attainment of the eight MDG.
The campaign began in 2002 and is now a massive global civil society movement which takes place from Oct 16-18 annually.Papua New Guinea is the 117th country in the world to be part of the campaign.

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There is also this disclaimer:


Independence Holiday




The National will not be published tomorrow, September 16, on account of the Independence Day public holiday. We wish all our readers a safe and happy 34th Independence anniversary. We shall be back on Thursday, September 17, with all the news and sporting action from PNG and around the world.

 

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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/20090917/thhome.htm

Huon Gulf affected

By PORENI UMAU

NEW reports have been received over the last two days of new cholera cases at Mou village in the Huon Gulf district in the Morobe Province. This was revealed by provincial health adviser Likei Theo yesterday afternoon. Dr Theo said that about 34 new cases of diarrhoea with suspicion of cholera from Mou village were admitted at the Morobe Patrol Post health centre. But there were no deaths reported, he said. Meanwhile, he also said that he had received reports from Keveng village in the Yus local level government area in the Kabwum district of three deaths in one night. He said the three deaths occurred last Thursday night. Without giving details of those who died, he said the deaths resulted from severe diarrhoea that night
while the three people were waiting to be taken to the Keveng health centre in the morning. He said another three people were being treated at the Keveng health centre.

Dr Theo said this was the first report that his office had received from Kabwum. He said there were also reports from Situm in the Nawaeb district with six cases of severe diarrhoea since last weekend. He said the cholera illness was spreading in a typical pattern because of the movement of people from one place to another. Dr Theo said Wasu, the place where the cholera illness began, was under control while Lae remained stable but could change with new cases most likely to be reported over the last two days. He said the dysentery and influenza situation in Menyamya was also under control.

 

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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.voxy.co.nz/national/kiwi-logistics-officer-heads-png-cholera-outbreak-oxfam/5/24443

Kiwi Logistics Officer Heads To Png Cholera Outbreak With Oxfam Home ? National
Read More: Dave NeruEastern highlandGoroka HospitalMorobe highlandPNG GovernmentPapua New Guinea Highlandscholeradysenteryinfluenzashigella dysenteryContributor:
Voxy News Engine Thursday, 17 September, 2009 - 14:55
New Zealander Dave Neru is heading to the Papua New Guinea Highlands on Friday, September 18, to assist with Oxfam's emergency response to the country's first confirmed cholera outbreak.

Neru will be helping coordinate the provision of emergency supplies, such as water containers, mosquito nets and tarpaulins to areas where cholera cases have been reported, as well as dysentery and influenza. In response to a request from Goroka Hospital, he will be helping to provide supplies to establish a field hospital specifically for people with suspected cholera.

According to the latest reports, there have been 190 reported cases of cholera which has killed at least nine people; influenza has affected 4647 people and claimed the lives of 56; and shigella dysentery 788, with 39 deaths in the Morobe and Eastern Highlands province.

Oxfam is working with the PNG Government, local health authorities and other agencies to help ensure a coordinated response to the outbreak. Oxfam is particularly concentrating its efforts in the Highlands area, where Oxfam's partner organizations are based and able to respond quickly to prevent further spread of the disease.

Neru will be joining expert Oxfam staff on the ground, helping to deliver essential supplies and assessing the water and sanitation and public hygiene needs of affected communities. Neru has previously worked with Oxfam's emergency teams in response to the Boxing Day Tsunami, and in PNG following Cyclone Guba in 2007.

 

[Shiloh]

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

Source: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=86186

Thursday 17 September 2009
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Battling to contain cholera, influenza, diarrhoea outbreaks

BANGKOK, 17 September 2009 (IRIN) - Health authorities and aid workers are racing to contain outbreaks of cholera, influenza and diarrhoea in three provinces in Papua New Guinea which have killed over 100 people and infected over 6,000, officials say.

Victor Golpak, coordinator for the national Department of Health, said workers were still trying to stop the spread of the unrelated outbreaks, especially cholera, which was detected for the first time in the country in July.

?People are now aware that cholera is a basic hygiene problem and we can all contain it if we wash our hands,? Golpak told IRIN from Lae, the capital of northern Morobe Province.

?That?s our big drive. We want to get the message across because this is a new disease in Papua New Guinea, and people don?t understand it,? he said.

Golpak said 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, he said.

?Once we identify the DNA of the organism, we can tell where it came from, but most likely it came from Southeast Asia,? he said. ?We will investigate later, after we contain the problem.?

Cholera, seasonal influenza and bloody diarrhoea caused by shigella bacteria have all been detected in Morobe as well as the neighbouring Eastern Highlands Province. The Gulf Province, to Morobe?s south, has recorded cases of influenza and diarrhoea.

The cholera has spread to Lae, and Golpak said the fear was that it would be transmitted further by people travelling out of the city on the Highlands Highway, the main road connecting the coast to the country?s heavily-populated Highlands Region.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which is providing technical support to the government, has so far recorded 20 cholera deaths from 277 suspected cases, 40 bloody diarrhoea-related deaths from 1,155 suspected cases, and 60 deaths from over 4,700 suspected influenza cases.

The cases are all classified as suspected, since confirmation is difficult, said Cathy Williams, a WHO communications officer in Lae, citing challenges in gathering data from remote areas and poor reporting of cases.

Containment efforts

Poor health facilities in remote areas, as well as a lack of clean water and basic sanitation are major challenges in containing the diseases, according to aid workers and officials.

Golpak said cholera usually peaked and declined in about three months, but it was important to continue containment efforts.

?Our efforts involve awareness campaigns on basic hygiene and? to assist communities to get proper water and sanitation. So that?s what we have been doing in the last few weeks.?

Peter Raynes, country director for CARE International in Papua New Guinea, said the remoteness of areas in the mountainous, jungle-covered country meant weaker health services, since getting supplies to locations and persuading health workers to remain there was difficult.

?The other issue is that there isn?t a good electricity supply and transport is very expensive and difficult. So in remote areas, health services tend to be weak. There?s not enough personnel, equipment and medication,? Raynes said.

CARE is working with the authorities in Eastern Highlands Province, and will be sending teams next week to remote communities in areas close to the Morobe border to help improve water and sanitation, he said.

?Safe water supplies are very limited generally in Papua New Guinea, both in rural areas and also in settlements around the major towns. Also sanitation is quite weak as well? so the conditions are there to allow the spread of disease,? he said.

ey/cb

 

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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.msf.org/msfinternational...BA&component=toolkit.article&method=full_html

Rare instance of cholera in Papua New Guinea brings challenges in raising awareness about treatment and prevention


© Antoine Prus/MSF


© Sally McMillan/MSF
For the first time in 50 years, a cholera outbreak is affecting Papua New Guinea. Mainly concentrated in the eastern Morobe province, the disease has so far infected 283 people, according to official figures.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), already working in Lae, the provincial capital, was able to mobilise 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 specially constructed Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC) made out of a series of tents, was established at the front of the hospital. The MSF CTC 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.”


© Sally McMillan/MSF
As cholera has not been present in the country for 50 years, challenges have arisen in raising awareness about treatment and prevention and in reducing the stigma surrounding the disease. For example, some public transport providers are refusing to carry patients meaning they cannot access treatment. Over the last few weeks, MSF has therefore focused energy on raising awareness about the disease, and has organised workshops on hygiene and the use of chlorine and briefed key members of the community including schools, pharmacies and local NGOs.

Symptoms of cholera include profuse vomiting and diarrhoea resulting in severe dehydration. It is a highly contagious disease but can be prevented by following strict hygiene practices and using and drinking safe, clean water. Treatment is simple: many patients are treated using Oral Rehydration Solution, a treatment which has the correct amount of electrolytes to rehydrate a 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, there has been a confirmed outbreak of dysentery (Shigella flexineri) and influenza (Type A) in Menyama district. MSF is planning to also 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.

 

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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/770

Angau hospital reports 22 deaths from cholera
Source:
DAISY TANIOVA PAWA
THE quarantine centre at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae has reported a total of 22 deaths from cholera.
The figure includes the casualties from Morobe province?s outbreak areas of Wasu in Tewai-Siassi and Lae districts, and Goroka in Eastern Highlands province.
These figures were presented in the provincial outbreak task force meeting that was held yesterday at the provincial malaria office.
It was also revealed by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) staff during the meeting that West Taraka is fast becoming a ?hotspot?.
Angau chief executive officer Dr Polapoi Chalau was not present at the meeting.
However, officials from Angau said that 10 cases were reported to the centre, with one being admitted.
Four people were also believed to have died from cholera in West Taraka alone.
Dr Chalau was in Port Moresby and could not be reached for comment.
A team of medical staff has been sent to the West Taraka communities living up and along the Bumbu River to investigate further.
MSF staff also suggested spraying chlorine in the households of those who have been affected. This will prevent further cases.
This will be done once the addresses of confirmed cases are received.
However, officials said proper awareness must be carried out before this could be done to avoid any panic and stigma among the communities.
They also commended the PNG Waterboard for the good work carried out in adding more chlorine to the water system.
The meeting also revealed that there were still inconsistencies with transport vehicles to attend to cholera cases.
Dr Victor Golpak, head of the outbreak management team, said even though transport had been promised for cholera cases, it had not been very effective.
He said two ambulances would be sent from Port Moresby soon for use on cholera cases alone.

 

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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

The red statement is an error. Cholera is caused by a bacterium, not a virus.

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.
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

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

And now we know where the cholera came from.

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090918/frhome.htm

Bukawa point of outbreak

By HAIVETA KIVIA

CHOLERA first arrived on the shores of Papua New Guinea at Bukawa in Nawaeb district a month before the outbreak at Wasu in the Tewae Siassi district of
Morobe Province. But the first case at Bukawa was not reported because the nursing officer there had never treated cholera before and therefore diagnosed the disease as
severe diarrhoea. It was only after the World Health Organisation?s expert Dr Rajendra Yadav began to investigate the Bukawa death that the mystery ?severe diarrhoea?? case
was identified as cholera. However, the report on the cause of his death, which was initially diagnosed as ?severe diarrhoea?? was never made public and is still pending.
The nursing officer, Eric Ham-bongke from Boac health centre where the patient was referred from to Angau Hospital, did not really understand the signs and
symptoms of cholera, until Dr Yadav was sent by the national Department of Health to investigate.
Mr Hambongke rushed his patient by speedboat to Lae but the patient died on the way and the patient?s fate was further compounded by the fact that during
that time, the health facilities in Lae and some parts of Morobe, including Boac, had run out of intravenous (IV) giving sets.
The patient was diagnosed with severe diarrhoea, which is one of the major symptoms found in a person suffering from cholera.
Mr Hambongke reported the person?s condition to Dr Yadav and the doctor confirmed that the patient had died from cholera.
The nursing officer then referred the doctor to another female in-patient, who had similar symptoms, and she was also diagnosed by the doctor to be suffering
from cholera. He had also reported that five other patients had gone through the health centre with similar symptoms but were cured, along with the women diagnosed by Dr
Yadav with cholera. However, the report of this outbreak was never made public to date and the reason behind the delay can?t be established because Dr Yadav is currently out of
the country. The Disaster Controller on the ground in Lae, Dr Victor Golpak admitted that the Health Department had sent Dr Yadav to investigate the causes of the deaths
at Boac before the outbreak in Wasu and Dr Yadav?s report is yet to reach them. Dr Golpak has also admitted that the patient referred from Boac who died on his way to Angau, had symptoms that were definitely those of cholera. Dr Golpak and Dr Sonley Soctine of Angau Hospital also said that another female patient from the same health facility had cholera and was referred to Braun Rural Hospital in Finschhafen.

 

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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/20090918/frhome.htm

Two cases suspected in Hagen

By JOHNNY POIYA

THE deadly disease cholera which is claiming lives in the Morobe Province may have reached the Western Highlands Province with two suspected cases
reported yesterday. The first patient in the Highlands was reported in the Eastern Highlands during Independence Day by the Provincial Administrator.
Two suspected victims a male and a female from the Morobe Province, are being treated at the Kudjip Nazarene Hospital.
The news of the patients spread through the Wahgi Valley like bushfire, with locals calling on authorities, including the local police in Kudjip, to have the
patients removed. A hospital worker under the condition of anonymity said the patients were kept under quarantine.
?We have a suspect case of cholera here with the suspects having been diagnosed with acute diarrhoea,? the source said. Medical staff are yet to confirm
whether the patients were affected by cholera. Attempts to get hospital authorities were unsuccessful.
In the Chimbu Province, Kundiawa General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Francis Wandi said a death and another reported case in Chuave on Tuesday were
not related to cholera or dysentery diseases as widely rumoured.

[Go to the top] Copyright?2009, Post-Courier Online. Use of this site is governed by our Legal 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

The bold statement is contradicted by the local reports out of PNG.

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=49189

Health emergency in PNG?s Morobe area under control
Posted at 00:29 on 18 September, 2009 UTC

The Provincial Health Administrator in Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea says he believes they have simultaneous disease outbreaks under control.

Dr Likei Theo says there have been no deaths reported as a result of cholera, shigella and influenza for the past two weeks.

The death toll is estimated at 120 with thousands still affected but treatment is being provided by a wide range of PNG and international agencies.

The area is under a public health emergency and Dr Theo says people have responded positively to their calls for improved hygiene to rein in the spread of the diseases.

?Over the last two weeks or so, since the campaign started, many people have received the informations and information dissemination is still continuing. Up in the remotest villages in the district people are conducting awareness now. Our officials, plus communities, plus NGOs like church groups and other partners. They are heavily involved.?
Dr Likei Theo in Morobe Province

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

And an angry editorial.

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/746

Is there a cause for concern?
Source:
The National
WHILE the rest of the country is celebrating the 34th Independence anniversary, I find no reason to celebrate.
What is there to celebrate when our people at Menyamya, Wasu and Angau are dying from influenza, dysentery and cholera?
What is there to celebrate when we drive in pot-hole infested roads in Lae and rural areas to deliver medicines and save those who are sick and dying?
What are Morobe leaders like Health Minister Sasa Zibe, Governor Luther Wenge and acting Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc doing about these outbreaks in your own backyard?
Can you all stop the outbreaks and prevent the diseases from spreading, save lives and restore confidence?
The province, the people and the nation are looking at what you are doing.
Is there not a cause for concern for Morobeans?


Bapa Bomoteng
Lae

 

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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=49202

NGO helps with PNG cholera outbreak
Posted at 05:33 on 18 September, 2009 UTC

The NGO, Medecins Sans Frontieres, is encouraging people with suspected cholera symptoms in Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea to seek the free treatment being offered.

The province has been hit by simultaneous outbreaks of shigella, influenza and cholera.

There have been no reported deaths in the past two weeks but thousands are still suffering the effects.

Medicins Sans Frontieres is offering free treatment for suspected cholera sufferers at a number of sites.

Its emergency co-ordinator, Steven Cooper, says although highly contagious, cholera is preventable and is treated easily.

He says many patients can be treated if they get the correct amount of electrolytes to rehydrate.

Mr Cooper says more severe cases are treated using an intravenous drip and can feel better within 24 hours.

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

 

[Shiloh]

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

Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26087304-23289,00.html


Islanders fear PNG overload: health screening

Siobhain Ryan | September 19, 2009
Article from: The Australian

TORRES Strait Islanders want authorities to halve the number of Papua New Guineans flooding their overburdened health clinics and to screen them before arrival to stop the spread of HIV-AIDs and drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Torres Strait Regional Authority chairman John Kris has warned that indigenous communities were left dangerously exposed to disease by the 30,000 unrestricted movements last year across the Queensland and PNG borders.

Support for new protection measures was ``absolutely critical and not negotiable'', he says in a submission to a new federal parliamentary inquiry into the health of the Pacific region.

``We propose that screening of PNG visitors and Australian visitors happens before PNG nationals are cleared to visit communities on both sides of the border.

``Australian and Queensland governments must wear any responsibility, cost and compensation to Torres Strait communities if an outbreak occurs if no screening of visitors continues to take place.''

Under the Torres Strait Treaty, traditional inhabitants of PNG's impoverished Western Province and Queensland's Torres Strait can cross the border for cultural activities without visas or passports.

But sick or injured PNG nationals in need of health care also make the journey, accounting for 2000 crossings a year into the Torres Strait and increasing workloads at clinics already struggling with their own indigenous health crisis.

``We need to see up to a 50 per cent reduction in presentations over the next four years of PNG nationals. Torres Strait has its own health issues that it must address, therefore cross-border efforts need to complement this, not further burden it,'' the TSRA submission says.

The north Queensland-PNG border is the lower end of a pathway for emerging infectious diseases extending from Asia through West Papua, PNG and into Australia via the Torres Strait.
Japanese encephalitis, dengue, the Asian tiger mosquito and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis have all travelled this corridor to enter Australia.

James Cook University associate professor Darren Russell, a past president of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisation, fears that HIV-AIDS could be the next to exploit the porous border.

The number of Papua New Guineans living with AIDS has risen from 10,000 in 2001 to 54,000 in 2007.

``It's likely that the remoteness of the PNG border region has helped protect people, but we know that there's a significant HIV problem in Daru, which is the district capital of South Fly district, so it really is just a matter of time,'' Russell says.

``The other thing to realise, of course, is that while we're focusing on the people of PNG, people in the Torres Strait actually move quite a lot, too. They visit Cairns, Townsville, Darwin and other cities in Australia, and there's no reason they won't contract HIV just as anyone else can if they travel and have sex away from home.''

One recent study into genital herpes, which can increase HIV infection risks and worsen the prognosis of people with the virus, has identified rates in Cape York's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations among the world's highest.

The paper, under wraps while awaiting peer review and publication, found 58.4 per cent of the 270 indigenous adults tested were positive to herpes simplex type 2, which causes genital herpes, almost five times the rate in the general Australian population.

The federal budget acknowledged the cross-border risks by committing $13.8 million over four years to a Torres Strait protection strategy. Most of the money will go towards upgrading Saibai clinic to cope with the dual workloads of local chronic disease and PNG communicable ones.

Canberra also has put to PNG a proposal to allow health professionals to cross between the two countries as freely as their traditional people do. But its focus has been on boosting its neighbour's resources to handle its own health problems rather than pursuing the TSRA's call to tighten borders, screen visitors or cap their use of Queensland clinic services.

Russell says there is little point pre-screening PNG nationals when few services exist on their side of the border to follow up the health problems identified.

``The only way to reduce the demand would be to improve services on the PNG side,'' he says. Until that happens, pressure to boost the capacity of Australian health services to handle the flow of PNG nationals and spread of communicable diseases will continue to mount.

Russell says it is not just Torres Strait clinics that are ill-equipped to deal with HIV's inevitable spread.

Cairns Base Hospital lacks even the capacity to test the immune function or T-cell count of people with HIV.

Its reliance on Brisbane to analyse samples adds so much transit time that Torres Strait residents with HIV must go to Cairns to give blood if it is to reach the Queensland capital within the tight 24-hour window for testing.

 

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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

Back to swine dysentery. The writer ought to be ashamed.

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/818

PNGDF steps in to assist Morobe
Source:
DAISY TANIOVA PAWA
THE PNG Defence Force stepped in to assist the Morobe province to contain the outbreak of water-borne diseases.
The PNGDF will be working closely with the head of the Morobe Task Force and provincial disaster office.
It will be providing logistical support to ferry medicines and other necessary supplies to the affected areas.
The provincial administration had been lacking logistical support to deal with the outbreak of cholera in Wasu and Lae and the double swine dysentery and flu in Menyamya.
The PNGDF will provide assistance through air support for shipment and transportation of Defence medical personnel.
A helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft will be available for use.
The command post will be at the provincial disaster centre.
Joint Task Force commander Major Ivan Timo, younger brother of Morobe Disaster Office coordinator Roy Kameng, said yesterday that 42 personnel from Port Moresby would be deployed to the province.
The team consists of 20 medical staff from Taurama Barracks, 12 air crew from the Air Transport Wing and 10 administrators from the Joint Operations Centre at Murray Barracks.
A platoon (35 men) of sappers from Lae?s Igam Barracks Engineering Battalion will also be assisting the team from Port Moresby by providing manpower if there is a need to construct tents or other constructions.
On Saturday, 10 PNGDF medical orderlies were deployed to Menyamya, direct from Port Moresby.
The next 10 are believed to have arrived in Lae yesterday for deployment to Wasu today.
Two shipments were also flown into Menyamya on Saturday using a PNGDF helicopter.
They consisted of 76 four-gallon water containers, 60 cartons of soap and 36 bales of toilet tissue donated by the PNG Red Cross.
Two shipments were also being planned for yesterday to distribute toiletries and water containers to Wasu, from where supplies to Kabwum will also be transported by road.

 

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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

And another diagnosis:

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/817

Mother, child treated for suspected cholera
A MOTHER and her child were treated for suspected cholera in Goroka last week after they developed symptoms of the disease.
They were reported to have travelled in from the disease-stricken Menyamya district in Morobe province for a church gathering.
While attending a gathering at the University of Goroka campus, they developed severe diarrhoea and were rushed to the Goroka Base Hospital where their stool samples were taken for laboratory tests.
According to hospital physician and director of medical services, Dr Kapiro Kendaura, the mother and her child were given drugs and sent home.
Their condition is being monitored while awaiting the results of tests on their stool samples.
He also said another person from Kama village outside Goroka town was treated at the hospital for dysentery and three others brought to the hospital were suspected of having malaria.
Dr Kendaura said they were all sent home after being treated at the hospital.
The hospital is on full alert for cholera and dysentery after receiving an influx of patients with severe diarrhoea complaints.
The Eastern Highlands provincial emergency cholera response task force has set up a makeshift hospital behind the Goroka Base Hospital morgue to separately quarantine and treat cholera patients.
Deputy director of the provincial health division, Ken Wai, said that a medical team from the province would be sent to Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae to study the cholera treatment centre before they could establish a similar centre in Goroka.
Mr Wai said training was conducted for staff of the provincial health division and Goroka Base Hospital on how to handle cholera, dysentery and influenza patients.
Authorities in the Eastern Highlands province reacted to the cholera threat by imposing a ban on the sale of cooked food at public places and markets in Goroka and Kainantu.

 

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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

And yet another diagnosis. I think at this point the cholera outbreak is causing people to pay more attention to other illnesses in the area.

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/819

EHP settlements to be destroyed
Source:
ZACHERY PER
ILLEGAL settlements on State land considered as likely breeding grounds for cholera, dysentery and influenza within the Goroka Township will be destroyed.
The Eastern Highlands provincial administration, in collaboration with the police, will carry out the eviction exercise as soon as logistics are in order.
Notices have been issued to major settlements in Goroka last week by Eastern Highlands provincial administrator Munare Uyassi.
Mr Uyassi also issued the notice last week to police, which was received by provincial police commander Chief Inspector Augustine Wampe.
Police would issue notices to the settlers before proceeding with the eviction exercise should the settlers fail to comply with the notice.
Mr Uyassi said illegal settlers squatting on State land and living in unhygienic conditions created an environment conducive for diseases like cholera, dysentery and influenza to spread.
?There are no proper toilets, water supply and garbage disposal facilities, which endanger the lives of other people,? he said.
According to the Eastern Highlands provincial lands office, the illegal settlements on State land are Genoka, Watabung Block, Dagis Block and Pawapos Block.
Other settlements listed for eviction are Banana Block, Piswara close to Minogere Police Barracks, Ston Block at Zokozoi and Mambu settlements.
The lands officer, who declined to be named, said formally recognised settlements in Goroka were Piswara and Banana Block, while others had just mushroomed illegally.
Some of the basic infrastructures established in these two settlements have deteriorated over the years and they are unfit for human use and habitation.
?There are more illegal occupants within these settlements who create an unfavourable environment conducive for cholera, dysentery, typhoid and influenza to spread,? he said.

 

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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

This is an editorial in today's National. I have to delete an inappropriate bash.

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/790

Spread of cholera epidemic frightening
Source:
The National
THE current cholera epidemic in Morobe and reports of it reaching parts of Eastern Highlands and Gulf are frightening.
There is no doubt it has already spread to other Highlands provinces and Madang.
The Government must be blamed for the outbreak because it has neglected the health sector in the rural areas for years.
Besides that, it has also failed to deliver other basic services to the rural areas.
Many people do not have access to pipe water or clean drinking water as the Government has failed to provide this vital service.
After 34 years of Independence, many towns around the country still do not have proper toilet or sewage system.
Even if there is a sewage system, it is not working because it has broken down.
As a result, raw sewer is being disposed straight into rivers.
Health inspectors and educators within the health system are not doing enough awareness on health and hygiene and many people are ignorant on health and personal hygiene.
Then there is little or no policing and enforcement of food preparation and sanitation in many kai bars [bash deleted].
I hope the cholera outbreak has jolted the Government and it will look seriously into delivering health and sanitation services in towns, settlements and villages.


Charles Ifu
Yamox, Watabung, EHP

 

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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

The post two above this refers to the destruction of "illegal" settlements. Here is more detail.

http://www.trupela.com/2009/09/21/genoka-settlement-to-be-razed/

Browse: Home / Towns, PMV's & Street life / Will Genoka Settlement get razed?
Will Genoka Settlement get razed?
By Robert on September 21, 2009

After dinner last night I went out the back and had a muck around with "Gelo" our dog for a little while; and for a few moments I felt a relief from the worries of the world.

A dog really does embody the essence of loyalty and the expression "a man's best friend" rang bells for me last night as I became lost in the moment with our protector come night security.

My words so far - the above photo which I have titled "Nag, nag and more nagging" - the title of this post and what follows have no correlation whatsoever. I'm a bit all over the place but still feel the urge to push out the proverbial post. It normally happens when I set out to write and the thought "got nothing to write about today" buzzes endlessly around the grey matter - something of quasi substance does eventually emerge from the tips of these fingers (only two by the way) as they tap away at the laptop's qwerty pad (that's qwerty and not squirty!).

Let's start with a story that appear in today's edition of The National:




EHP Settlements to be destroyed
The National: story by Zachery Per

ILLEGAL settlements on State land considered as likely breeding grounds for cholera, dysentery and influenza within the Goroka Township will be destroyed. The Eastern Highlands provincial administration, in collaboration with the police, will carry out the eviction exercise as soon as logistics are in order.

Notices have been issued to major settlements in Goroka last week by Eastern Highlands provincial administrator Munare Uyassi.
Mr Uyassi also issued the notice last week to police, which was received by provincial police commander Chief Inspector Augustine Wampe. Police would issue notices to the settlers before proceeding with the eviction exercise should the settlers fail to comply with the notice.

Mr Uyassi said illegal settlers squatting on State land and living in unhygienic conditions created an environment conducive for diseases like cholera, dysentery and influenza to spread. ?There are no proper toilets, water supply and garbage disposal facilities, which endanger the lives of other people,? he said.

According to the Eastern Highlands provincial lands office, the illegal settlements on State land are Genoka, Watabung Block, Dagis Block and Pawapos Block. Other settlements listed for eviction are Banana Block, Piswara close to Minogere Police Barracks, Ston Block at Zokozoi and Mambu settlements.... (Read full story)



My thoughts on what you have read so far...

Migration of people from rural and village areas of Papua New Guinea to urban and town centres is absolutely a major concern. Years of sitting back and just watching this happen and without adequate planning has now reached somewhat of a crisis point.

I will eat humble pie if Genoka settlement does get razed. It has been tried before on at least two occasions but without any luck. I'm not sure about other settlements around Goroka town but I know for fact that you will find three generations of Genokians living there. Do the authorities really believe that these people will just pack up their belongings nice and quietly and choof of? Besides - where would these people go if they were tossed? The whole settlement debate is a very sensitive, high impact and extremely complex issue - the answer to, far from simple - the responsibility to resolve on the shoulders of many and one that will have to be dealt with.
For some reason when Papua New Guineans - especially Highlanders - get angry the first reaction in many cases is to mobilise and burn down one or more "enemy" homes. This approach to dealing with issues reminds me very much of when the police in Port Moresby went in and razed Tete settlement after the killing of Sir George Constantinou by a group of local raskols.
Does anyone relate to the above photo "Nag, nag and more nagging"? I certainly do. Eli tells me many a times: "Yu no man long harim tok" (Tok Pisin for "you don't listen"). It must be a habit I've picked up in PNG from the locals - pretending to listen - even agreeing to what was said - and then proceeding to do the exactly the opposite is very (I repeat very) Papua New Guinean. Perhaps after all, the above photo does have a relevance to today's post!
Ah yes... talking about "Gelo" reminds me that Manam remains missing in action. Every so often we do get word back from the village that he's alive and well albeit terrorising the local "pussy" population.
The Cholera situation remains stable - no better and no worse. The Provincial Health Authorities in conjunction with Goroka General Hospital are putting much time and energy into preparing for a possible Outbreak. Admissions for severe diarrhoea seem to be on the increase. Despite what the newspapers say - the building of temporary accommodation out the back of the Hospital has not yet started other than they have brought in a grader to level some land. Considering the difficult and pressured circumstances the management of Goroka Hospital IMHO are doing an excellent job.
Credit has to go to someone for stopping market cooked food sales around town. It would appear that "oil lid" cooked lamb flaps and red sausages is temporarily on hold. This necessary move does raise a question though: What will those good people that were making a few kina from their "fast food" sales now do for an income?
If anyone reading this has recently "lost" a Nokia i95 mobile phone around Goroka town - shoot me an email as I might be able to help you out.
A PNG'ism at it's best! Despite the current Cholera Outbreak and the need under the circumstances to ensure a supply of clean drinking water - the local Council is busy going around cutting people's water for non payment of bills.
In fact we almost had ours cut today despite going into Council Chambers last week and making a payment. By the way the last bill that came in was the first water bill that we have seen in 12 months and the bulk of the outstanding amount is from a previous tenant. Numerous letters and verbal requests to sort out this situation has had zilch effect.
(Note how a list of 10 Things has magically appeared!)

Finally, an email over the weekend from an Australian planning on visiting the Eastern Highlands and Simbu Provinces in a few weeks wanting to climb Mt Wilhelm (the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea). This person was enquiring on the Cholera situation basically wanting to know whether it is safe to travel these parts considering the epidemic.

I managed to catch up with Dr. Joseph Apa this morning (Hospital's CEO), he provided the following response - it might be of interest to others planning a visit to this part of the country:

1) It is relatively safe for you to travel to the Eastern Highlands.

2) May consider taking a cholera oral vaccine in Australia but not essential.

3) Town water supply in Goroka is safe and well treated.

4) Staff from local Hotels are well prepared and extra precautions have been taken regarding serving of food.

5) As soon as you arrive in Goroka the Rapid Response Team will brief you should further clarification be required.