Japan contributes US$1.21M to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and minimize impacts in Papua New Guinea

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 11 March 2022 - The Government of Japan has contributed US$1.21 million (just over K4 million) to UNICEF in Papua New Guinea to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and minimize its impact on families and communities.

This contribution will enable the delivery of improved water, sanitation and hygiene services, promote safety in schools, and enhance remote psychosocial first aid and helpline services in support of the country’s COVID-19 response efforts.

Up to 100,000 school children in three provinces will benefit from the provision of personal protective equipment (face masks) to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure a stable school life for learning to continue. Approximately 1,600 school children, 3,000 patients and 3,200 people in two provinces will also benefit from improved water, sanitation and hygiene services in schools, healthcare facilities and communities. In addition, this support will ensure mental health and psychosocial support and referral services managed by ChildFund through its helpline will continue to be provided to parents and children facing imminent danger of domestic violence and vaccination-related harassment.

Japanese Ambassador to PNG Mr. Nobuyuki Watanabe said that “Healthy and safe environment is important for school children. Japan has been walking along close to PNG Government to fight against Covid-19 infection. Last year, the government of Japan announced provision of cold chain equipment for COVID-19 vaccine worth a total of US$8 million and support for interventions to improve access to clean water and hygiene practices worth US$3 million, as part of the COVID-19 response through UNICEF. This is an additional support to PNG. Japan is pleased to work with UNICEF to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and minimize its impacts in PNG.​”

“UNICEF is extremely grateful for this generous contribution as well as previous support provided by the Government of Japan that helps us to continue working with the Government of Papua New Guinea to fight this pandemic and help reduce the impact of COVID-19 on families, children and communities,” UNICEF Representative, Claudes Kamenga said.

UNICEF is supporting the Papua New Guinea government in its response to help prevent the spread of the virus among communities and continues to facilitate the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility.

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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, please contact:

Atsushi Namba, Embassy of Japan in Papua New Guinea, +675 321 1800, atsushi.namba-2@mofa.go.jp