Four thousand boxes of facemasks and hand sanitisers have been issued to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force as the country wrestles with growing rates of Covid-19.
Covid-19 health screening at the Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby. Photo: PNG Department of Health
The supplies included 200,000 facemasks.
The National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning said it was important that members of the Joint Agency Task Force, especially services that provided security for Covid-19 response, were given the protection required to keep themselves safe while they assist the health authorities.
"Already we have seen an increase in the frontline health workers. We provide the next level of support in this fight and if we are not protected then we could also add to the Covid-19 statistics."
"So far I have arranged for masks and hand sanitisers for the National Control Centre, the National Police Headquarters, the Bomana Police College and the NCD police as well as for the PNG Correctional Services nationwide," he said.
Mr Manning, who is also Police Commissioner, said he intended to issue PPE to the constabulary over the coming days.
PNG defence force call-out issued by Queen's Rep
PNG's Governor-General last week issued a call-out for the Defence Force to assist in civil control in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The call-out gazetted by Sir Bob Dadae orders the Defence Force to help police to maintain law and order during National Pandemic Security Operations for the next three months.
PNG is struggling with a surge in cases of the virus, many of them relating to a cluster at the country's main hospital in the capital Port Moresby.
The number of cases surged past 200 at the weekend - the vast majority having been confirmed in the past three weeks.
Port Moresby went into a two-week lockdown last week, but the government has signalled it would probably opt not to extend it.
Makeshift hospital in second main city
Meanwhile, a makeshift hospital for Covid-19 patients is being set up in Lae, Papua New Guinea's second biggest city.
Only a handful of PNG's 214 cases have been detected in Lae, and the new hospital, (contained within a volleyball complex), only had 25 beds.
As well having as an area for testing, the indoor stadium has a standard ward and an intensive care unit.
A decontamination chamber was being constructed outside as well as a mortuary.
