The consequences for Papua New Guinea and Australia of low covid vaccine acceptance in PNG

And it means directly funding and resourcing church run hospitals and health centres from Canberra!

But the first response from our government must be to review how we assist Papua New Guinea address the Covid-19 crisis in PNG. That requires DFAT and other agencies to concede mass vaccination is just not going to happen at least in the short to medium term.

We need to help rebuild community confidence in the failed PNG health system – and that is what it is, a failure!

If we can do that there is some chance vaccination acceptance might lift to a level that really helps manage the disease. But that is just not going to happen anytime soon, and most certainly not without radical reform of a health system that is today and has been for some time seriously letting down the good people of Papua New Guinea.

And if anyone in Canberra doubts we have a serious challenge on our border, then surely these alarming stats will persuade them?

There have been 2,300 positive cases in Western Province which adjoins Australia in the Torres Strait. As of mid-last week, just EIGHTY EIGHT people in the Province have been vaccinated.

I rest my case!