Middle Fly MP, Roy Biyama says he stands ready to fight COVID-19 should it enter his district in the Western Province.
He stated that the Prime Minister has given strict orders for his district to not accept anyone coming across the borders, and they will be abiding by that.
Middle Fly MP, Roy Biyama says, “I will make sure that before I leave, the health patrols will be really strict. We have to at least help our people.”
However for many at Balimo, they have no idea what is happening around the world.
Page Ward Member of the Balimo Urban LLG, Waliya Sawasi told EMTV News that the only way he heard about the pandemic was when a family member called him from Daru.
Mr. Sawasi says, “We are cut off from the outside world so we don’t know what’s happening. We only hear about these things when we get calls on our mobile phones…”
He also mentioned that not much awareness has been done and he will do that this week.
Mr. Sawasi says, “So I started telling the people get ready… we will have our awareness to the community.”
ECPNG Health Services Health Secretary of Balimo District Hospital, Hector Morris, raised the same concerns.
He stated that should COVID-19 seep into Balimo, it will greatly affect both the skeleton nursing staff and the people. Currently Balimo District Hospital has no doctor.
Mr. Morris says “…it will be a great challenge for us. We are not prepared. We don’t have the basic protective gears that should be on the ground.”
“We don’t have hand sanitizers. It should be present in our outpatient. The protection is the very key and the awareness bit is the other key thing. People have to be aware.”
In Daru town, Daru secondary school closed down at noon yesterday in line with the 14 day lockdown
Daru Secondary Deputy Principal- Administration, Kelly Gauwa says, “Right now the circular is in place, we are tidying up… and we are going to release the students.”
By Lillian Sopera Keneqa, EMTV News, Port Moresby
