Posted on 16 November 2021
An overwhelmed health system, low levels of public trust, poor transport infrastructure, and low vaccination rates, are all contributing to the dire Covid situation in Papua New Guinea.
Only 1.7% of the population has been vaccinated and at the average rate of 4,778 doses that are being administered per day, it will take a further 368 days to administer enough doses for only another 10% of the population. A key factor in the low take up of vaccines, alongside challenges accessing rural communities, has been poor media messaging, conspiracy theories, and misinformation on social media.
New Zealand aid support teams and essential supplies were sent to PNG last week. Oxfam Aotearoa has said that ‘while essential supplies and support is a good contribution, the government can, and must, do more.’