Government of Japan donates 30 new vehicles in collaboration with UNICEF to support COVID-19 vaccine rollout and routine immunization services in Papua New Guinea

JOINT PRESS RELEASE
PORT MORESBY: 31st MARCH 2022- The National Department of Health today received a donation of 30 new vehicles from UNICEF in collaboration with the Government of Japan to help boost Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19 response and routine immunization services.
This generous donation is a welcome addition to the country’s health system that has been plagued for a long time with chronic inadequate transport and logistics to effectively deliver vital health services to remote and hard-to-reach communities.
The vehicles, 30 brand new 13-seater Toyota Land Cruisers, that UNICEF procured in collaboration with the Government of Japan, will be distributed across the 22 provinces in the coming weeks to support the ongoing distribution of COVID-19 and routine vaccines, and transportation of mobile and outreach health teams to underserved communities.
“While we continue to remain vigilant, provincial health authorities are encouraged to persevere and intensify their efforts by effectively managing and utilizing these vehicles to deliver essential health services including routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination to all communities in PNG,’’ said UNICEF Representative, Dr Claudes Kamenga.
“We are grateful to the Government of Japan for recognising this important need that will go a long way to support the country’s immunisation programme, increase our coverage and help stop vaccine preventable deaths in communities,” Kamenga added.
Japanese Ambassador to PNG Mr. Nobuyuki Watanabe said: “Especially, after the Covid-19 pandemic started, Japan has mainly supported health sector in areas such as budget support, the provision of medical equipment and the establishment of cold chain network and collaborated closely with UNICEF. This is the second phase of the establishment of cold chain network. I hope this cooperation will contribute to deliver further improvement of vaccination services.”
The Government of Japan has supported PNG’s COVID-19 response since 2020 with providing much-needed supplies - Infection prevention materials, Personal Protective Equipment, oxygen concentrators - and further continue to support the strengthening of the cold chain system, expansion of mSupply in health facilities, and installation of medical incinerators for the safe storage & distribution of vaccines and immunization waste management nationwide.
About the Government of Japan:
Japan provides funds (grants, loans, etc.) and technical assistance that are useful for “development”, including peacebuilding, governance, promotion of basic human rights and humanitarian assistance, in the form of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to eligible countries and regions. ODA includes bilateral aid to directly assist developing countries and regions, and multilateral aid, which consist of contributions to international organizations such as UNICEF, UNDP, UN-WOMEN, FAO and WHO.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, follow UNICEF Papua New Guinea on Twitter and Facebook, Instagram and our website
For more information, please contact:
- Atsushi Namba, Embassy of Japan in Papua New Guinea, +675 321 1800, atsushi.namba-2@mofa.go.jp
- Noreen Chambers, UNICEF Papua New Guinea, Tel: +675 321 3000, nchambers@unicef.org
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About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children in Papua New Guinea, visit https://www.unicef.org/png/