Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority held its first preventative meeting today about COVID-19 with Provincial Government and stakeholders.
Western Highlands is in the Green color code for Corona Virus alert, meaning there are no cases as yet.
A Covid-19 taskforce team will also be appointed today to spearhead the awareness of the virus to the rural areas.
Their advise is for the public to self isolate and do proper hand washing with soap or detergents for more than 20 seconds and frequently.
Health services that will be temporarily closed are Ear, Nose and Throat clinic, Optomology, all elective surgeries, and antenatal clinic will only be open to pregnant women who are one month to deliver.
This is to reduce the spread, as well as freeing up hospital space to cater for COVID-19 if it enters the province.
The new Provincial Task Force team has made decisions to shut down all markets in the Province as of tomorrow, in compliance with the National Government’s directives.
These includes Kaiwe and Kamgawur betel-nut markets, the main vegetable market itself, Airport market, and street markets.
There will be no public gathering such as Compensation, Bride Price, Funeral or Haus Cry, Church Gathering, Street Preaching and such.
By Vasinatta Yama, EMTV News, Mt Hagen
