More than 800 inmates at the Bomana Prison are expected to be screened for Tuberculosis in the next two weeks, as part of the National Department of Health’s Systematic Screening Intervention (SSI) program implemented through the Emergency Tuberculosis Project (ETP) with the support of the National Capital District Provincial Health Authority (NCDPHA).
The screening exercise commenced this week with orientation and awareness sessions held at the Bomana Prison and Zone 3 community at Joyce Bay in the Moresby South Electorate on Wednesday. More than 80 inmates at Bomana and over 30 Joyce Bay community leaders were screened on Thursday 9th of November.
Bomana Prison Commander Mr. Yelli Oiufa officially opened the screening exercise at the Bomana Prison yard on Wednesday in the presence of inmates, project team members including Project Manager Dr. Walley Ambano, NCDPHA representatives, SSI screening health staff, and Correctional Services (CS) staff including medical staff.
“We are all going to go through this TB screening; prevent, test, and if positive, get treatment,” said Mr Oiufa., “We have inmates, staff and their families, and community members who have TB and it’s timely that the screening exercise commences here in the prison and later to reach our family and community members.
The SSI activity was also officially opened at Joyce Bay in Moresby South recently at the Evegima United Church ground where the testing site is set up. Community leaders including husband, and wife Joseph and Philo Mage were among the first lot to be screened at Joyce Bay.
Both were keen to know their TB status and were happy to receive initial reports of clear chests after x-ray checks. The SSI program was officially launched by Deputy NCD Governor, Hon. Daddi Toka Junior, and NCDPHA CEO Dr. Steven Yennie in the presence of NDoH and NCDPHA staff, key development partners, volunteers, and community representatives in Port Moresby on 20th October 2023.
The SSI is a government-led TB initiative supported by key development partners including NCDPHA, National Tuberculosis Program, WHO, DFAT, and World Vision, and is implemented by the National Department of Health through the Emergency TB Project with funding from the World Bank Health Portfolio in PNG.
The Emergency TB Project aims to improve the quality and expand the coverage and utilization of health services to control the spread of Tuberculosis in target areas of PNG, including the National Capital District by strengthening programmatic management of Tuberculosis.
