PNG Haus Bung

https://pnghausbung.com/wash-project-improves-learning-of-students/

Published on April 26, 2021

WASH PROJECT IMPROVES LEARNING OF STUDENTS

The change in students behavior since the inception of the school health and hygiene club’s under the EU-UNICEF-PNG Government Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) Project has seen positive changes for schools. One such school is Sipatako Primary School in Panguna, Central Bougainville that has a population of just under 800 students and is a Catholic Mission-run institution established in the 1950s and closed during the Bougainville crisis and later re-opening in 1997. Sitapatako Primary School Head teacher Mrs. Jacinta James who has been teaching at Sipatako for the last 4 years recollects how things were before the EU-UNICEF WASH project’s intervention. “Before, our students used to go into the bushes to defecate during the school hours as we did not have any toilets”. “Each week I would have about 3-5 students come to my office requesting to go home because of stomach upset or diarrhea.”, she said. She said in 2020 after the school’s new toilets and ablution block was built and the students started using the facilities, there was a decline in numbers of students visiting her office. In excitement of the newly built ablution block, and the spike in COVID-19 cases being experienced, Mrs. James wants to really bring the WASH message home. In doing so, the school’s Health Club Teacher Mr. John Avero was encouraged to undertake the mammoth task of creating and leading the ‘School Health and Hygiene Club’. “Our Health Hygiene Club was created in 2020 but disrupted due to COVID-19, therefore this year our club is going full swing. “Duties include cleaning of ablution blocks, school beautification, classroom cleanliness student health and hygiene to improve student’s well-being and provide a conducive environment to learn in”, said Mr. Avero. In support of sentiments shared by Mrs. James, he said that before the construction of the ablution block, students were disposing of their rubbish in the nearby bushes. Our school administration used to have a lot of complaints from the community living around the school about the stench from students openly defecating near their homes and gardens”, said Mr. Avero. [caption id="attachment_7471" align="alignnone" width="451"] Caption: Funded by the European Union and UNICEF, the Ablution block with separate male and female toilets and an incinerator (at the back of the toilet block). The shower extension is the dark blue painted area.[/caption]

Published on April 26, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/more-advocacy-needed-on-adherence-to-covid-19-protocols-says-manning/

Published on April 26, 2021

MORE ADVOCACY NEEDED ON ADHERENCE TO COVID-19 PROTOCOLS, SAYS MANNING

Police Commissioner and Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response has called upon citizens who have recovered from COVID-19 to use their experiences to advocate about the dangers of the pandemic and need for people to adhere to the “Niupela Pasin” or New Normal. Mr Manning made this call following the recording of 166 new cases on Sunday April 25 which increased the country’s total COVID-19 cases to 10,835. To date a total of 8,561 people have recovered from COVID-19 whilst a total of 2,169 cases remain active within the last 14 days. Mr Manning has called on citizens who recovered from COVID-19 to share their experience with others to advocate about the dangers of this pandemic. “There is a certain degree of doubt among some citizens about COVID-19 but only those who have recovered will know the near-death experience they have endured. So I would encourage them to talk about their experiences to their family, friends and colleagues and to encourage them to follow the COVID-19 protocols of wearing face masks at all times, avoiding crowds and regular washing of hands,” Mr Manning said. He said with the confirmed COVID-19 cases now at 10,835 with 105 deaths, every citizen must take up the responsibilities to advocate about the dangers of COVID-19 to save lives. “I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of all those people who were with us from day one and are continuing to adhere to the Niupela Pasin. Thank you for doing your part to protect our country from COVID-19. Please continue your good efforts as we are not yet out of the pandemic,” Mr Manning said.

Published on April 26, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/new-school-toilet-facility-helps-keep-girls-in-school/

Published on April 26, 2021

NEW SCHOOL TOILET FACILITY HELPS KEEP GIRLS IN SCHOOL

The European Union-UNICEF PNG Government Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project continues to improve, health and hygiene for students in schools through it’s school hygiene clubs. Thank you to the EU-UNICEF WASH project in building proper toilet facilities for over 200 schools in the country, female students can now stay in class when going through their menstruation because they now have changing rooms and hygiene teachers they can speak to about their mood change. Celestine Epna (Pictured) is a female grade 8 student and a member of the school hygiene club at Situm Primary School, in Nawaeb district, Morobe Province. With changes that came with WASH project, she said “We feel that someone respects our privacy as girls with the use of our new Menstruation Hygiene facility and peer support from School hygiene teachers,” She said the WASH project has made it much easier and safer for girls to use their own toilets that have an incinerator for waste management. [caption id="attachment_7456" align="alignnone" width="455"] Caption: World Vision with funding support from the European Union (EU) and UNICEF has already constructed 18 more girls’ toilets and MHM Washrooms including incinerators, 12 more boys’ toilets, and two more teachers’ toilets with handwashing facilities.[/caption] Celestine said female students now feel that their privacy is respected. As a hygiene club member, Celestine has a huge role in the health club to ensure girls’ toilets and washrooms are clean. “The school health club supports referral pathways when girls have personal problems and need support from hygiene teachers or the school’s management,” Celestine says. Celestine also has a vital role in ensuring duty roster are fixed and girls do daily cleaning of their facility. It does not only stop with toilet cleaning, she also supervises girls in the lower primary school with hand-washing, ensures they have dressed appropriately and brushed their teeth at home before coming to school. School Principal John Gemotang says it is difficult providing a fair ratio of gender-separated Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) facilities in school before the WaSH intervention. “With constraints, we have to provide basic WaSH services such as having water in our school water tanks, it did not address menstruation Hygiene as a priority to the management,” he said. Situm primary school is the biggest primary school in Nawaeb District of Morobe, with over a thousand students enrolled and 30 teaching staff with a limited amount of access to sanitation facilities. However, with the new facilities gifted to the school recently, students including females stay on during their menstruation periods in the classroom from 8 am till 3 pm. Situm Primary School Hygiene teacher Mrs Angelina Meisi said; “Menstruation is a culturally sensitive or taboo issue thus students and especially boys may tease a girl during her period. Sometimes girls need a trusted person to talk to about their situation. This is where my role as hygiene teacher comes into play for girls.” [caption id="attachment_7457" align="alignnone" width="443"] Caption: Situm primary school is the biggest primary school in Nawaeb District of Morobe Province with an estimated one thousand student’s enrolled and 30 teaching staff with a limited amount of access to sanitation facilities.[/caption] Menstruation Hygiene Management (MHM) is vital to the empowerment and well-being of women and girls. It is about more than just access to sanitary pads and appropriate toilets – though these are important. It is also about ensuring women and girls live in an environment that values and supports their ability to manage their menstruation with dignity. Mrs Meisi says the school is now providing basic hygiene kits for girls to use including soap, toiletries, and cleaning detergents for their facility. However, she says the school is still exploring means for reusable pads that can be sewn locally and at a cheaper price for girls to afford. Implementing partners World Vision with funding support from EU and UNICEF has already constructed 18 more girls’ toilets and MHM Washrooms including incinerators, 12 more boys’ toilets, and two more teachers’ toilets with hand-washing facilities. World Vision through its WaSH in-school component of the Klinpela Kominiti Projek has also intervened in the formation of school health club members and advocated on school management to support the cause for girls. These include training for hygiene teachers and sensitization for the school board of management on the critical need to support the function of the school health club. This means more female students will no longer be absent from classes during their period. The school’s board has also identified means to sustain them (MHM) for girls with the WaSH facility installed in their school. World Vision is also working with the school management through the school health clubs on social marketing for reusable pads for girls. “We have actually captured the sustainability of these much-needed facilities gifted to us in our School Learning Improvement Plan (SLIP) budget annually and funds will be available for maintenance and student use,” says Principal Gemotang. Mr Gemotang says the school is making it compulsory to budget for hygiene kits for girls and soap to ensure proper hand-washing at critical times becomes a habit for students. The school through its success story on MHM has advocated for itself, gaining momentum of support among District Health and Education superiors in Nawaeb District. District Education Advisor Willa Gazang says he will be making it mandatory for school inspectors to appraise teachers in the District based on their support to WASH in school.

Published on April 26, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/68-new-covid-19-cases-reported-on-saturday-24-april-png-total-at-10670/

Published on April 26, 2021

68 NEW COVID-19 CASES REPORTED ON THE LAST 48 HOURS – PNG TOTAL AT 10,670

Papua New Guinea has recorded 68 new COVID-19 cases on the last 48 hours, increasing the total number of cases to 10,670. The cases were reported from 15 districts in 11 provinces. The death toll from COVID-19 remains at 102. Of the 68 new cases, 42 were males and 24 females, with two whose gender was not stated. The oldest was 86 and the youngest was one. Thirty-nine of them showed signs of COVID-19 whilst 29 were asymptomatic. Fourteen of the 68 had contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case. The National Control Centre has so far completed 86,619 tests for COVID-19 from which a total of 10,670 cases were confirmed, including 102 deaths. As of Saturday April 24, a total of 8,369 people have recovered from COVID-19. A total of 2,199 cases remain active in the last 14-day period. A further 674 samples are pending laboratory tests. All 22 provinces in PNG including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) have reported cases. Globally, the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 is 144,358,956 including 894,043 new cases reported in the last 48 hours. The global death toll for the same period is 3,066,113 including 14,151 new cases reported in the last 48 hours.

Published on April 26, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/nbpol-donates-covid-19-rapid-test-kits-to-six-provinces/

Published on April 26, 2021

NBPOL DONATES COVID-19 RAPID TEST KITS TO SIX PROVINCES

New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL) through its registered charity New Britain Palm Oil Foundation (NBPOF) last year committed funds towards COVID-19 preparedness and response across all Provinces in PNG where NBPOL operates. As the COVID-19 situation in PNG continues to worsen, the NBPOL Foundation has again committed to fight against COVID-19. With the dwindling supplies of GeneXpert cartridges across the country and the delays experienced with PCR testing, we see the use of RDT’s at all Health Facilities as a critical component in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in PNG. A total of 9,000 test kits of the Panbio COVID 19 – Ag RDT which was purchased at a total value of K286, 200 were donated to the Provincial Health Authorities in 6 provinces where NBPOL operates. This includes Madang, Milne Bay, Morobe, New Ireland, Oro and West New Britain Provinces. Each Provincial Health Authority received 1,500 test kits each. The Chief Executive Officer of NBPOL Mohd Azlan Shah Mohd Zain in presenting 1,500 test Kits to the WNB Provincial Health Authority last week Thursday 15/04/21 said NBPOL cared about the people within the 6 provinces it had operations and had gone out its way to purchase the test kits for these communities. CEO Azlan stated that tests kits will assist tracking and monitoring community transmissions in these provinces. He said it was his desire to see the curve flatten so the industry can continue with its country’s business operations.

Published on April 26, 2021

https://pnghausbung.com/walker-steps-up-to-sink-dragons-after-tedesco-felled-by-high-shot/

Published on April 25, 2021

WALKER STEPS UP TO SINK DRAGONS AFTER TEDESCO FELLED BY HIGH SHOT

Teenage sensation Sam Walker scored a try and set up another as the Roosters overcame the loss of James Tedesco to shine on Anzac Day with a commanding 34-10 win over the Dragons at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Tedesco's first clash in charge as Roosters captain on the historic occasion ended early with the fullback failing a HIA following a swinging arm from Dragons winger Jordan Pereira in the 34th minute. The incident resulted in Pereira spending 10 minutes on the sidelines in an act of foul play that had Australian coach Mal Meninga saying Pereira should've been sent off. "The question is could he have pulled out of that tackle, and I think he could have," Immortal Mal Meninga told Fox League. "He's gone through with the tackle, the ball's gone past Tedesco with a touch of the hands to the winger. "It's late, and I think it should have been a send-off." However, the fullback's exit from the game, if anything, sparked the Roosters to life with 18-year-old Sam Walker, named winner of the Anzac Medal as man of the match, and Joey Manu stepping up to get the side home in front of a healthy 37,620 crowd. Walker's dazzling footwork was on show as the Roosters peppered Pereira's vacant edge in the final six minutes of the first half with two tries setting up a 16-6 lead after an arm wrestle early. From there, the Roosters went up another gear in the second period with a further three tries – one of which included Walker showing strength to weave his way over the line. St George Illawarra looked shell-shocked in comparison with their opening 20 minutes of the game when Lindsay Collins charged over the line in simple fashion to extend the lead. An individual effort from Manu, who took advantage of flimsy goal-line defence from Josh McGuire and Andrew McCullough, put the game beyond doubt despite Mikaele Ravalawa snatching a late try. Both coaches made changes prior to kick-off with Jack Bird moving to five-eighth for the Dragons and Sam Verrills making his return from a knee injury for the Roosters via the interchange. The clash started in frantic fashion with three errors inside the opening minute soon compounded by a clumsy high shot from Tyrell Fuimaono on Tedesco that landed him on report. However, the Roosters' decision to take a penalty shot backfired with Walker's attempt sailing wide before the Tricolours conceded a six-again that sent the Dragons downfield. Griffin's gamble on Bird almost paid immediate dividends until the Bunker overturned a try in the seventh minute following a Roosters error in-goal. The Roosters weren't out of trouble, however, with back-to-back sets from the Dragons setting the tone for Tariq Sims to crash over the line from an Andrew McCullough short ball. That's where the momentum ended for the Red V though, with the side failing to respond once Pereira was given his marching orders. Source: NRL News

Published on April 25, 2021