The WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Takeshi Kasai, visited Papua New Guinea from 27 February to 2 March 2019. The visit included high level meetings and courtesy calls with the Prime Minister, Health Minister, officials of the National Department of Health, as well as foreign mission/development agency representatives.
RD Kasai also attended a consultation to address maternal and newborn deaths and launched a report on the evaluation of the entire national health system (Health Systems in Transition). As PNG is in the midst of the polio outbreak, Dr Kasai visited one of the most affected provinces of the outbreak, Eastern Highlands, to support the vaccination campaign.
These are some of the highlights of Dr Kasai’s mission to Papua New Guinea.
1) Dr Kasai met with Sir Dr Puka Temu, Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS on his arrival in Port Moresby on 27 February 2019. They discussed joint response to the current polio outbreak in the country and how best can WHO and PNG Government work together to strengthen maternal and child health.
2) “Karai Bilong Mama Na Pikinini” – means listen to the voices of mothers and babies. In Papua New Guinea, 2000 women die every year giving birth. Dr Kasai delivered a speech during the Consultation on the Findings of the 2019 Ministerial Task Force on Maternal and Newborn Deaths held on 28 February 2019. He joined the Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS Sir Dr Puka Temu in committing to reduce PNG’s high rates of maternal and newborn deaths.
3) WHO Regional Director Dr Takeshi Kasai met with the Hon. Peter O’Neil, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea; Hon Rimbink Pato, Foreign Minister; and Sir Dr Puka Temu, Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS in a courtesy call on 28 February 2019. The Prime Minister highlighted strong support to the health sector and shared his vision for the future of PNG.
4) “For PNG to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030, it is essential to understand where the health system is at now and how it needs to be strengthened.” This was emphasized by Dr Kasai at the launch of the first-ever report on the evaluation of the entire national health system, entitled Health Systems in Transition (HiT) held on 28 February 2019. “This is first HiT produced for PNG and is a powerful resource for any policymaker or development partner wanting to better understand the country’s health system, and how to improve it.”
5) Dr Kasai supported the Eastern Highlands Province in the launch of the next phase of the polio vaccination campaign in 2019. In his visit to Lufa District on 1 March 2019, he talked to parents on the risk of polio and the importance of vaccination.
6) A nationwide polio vaccination campaign is currently ongoing in Papua New Guinea for children under 15 years old. In his visit to Lufa District, Eastern Highlands Province on 1 March 2019, Dr Kasai vaccinated children against polio and talked to mothers that their children need multiple doses of the polio vaccine to ensure full protection.
7) Behind the global efforts to #endpolio, there are thousands of polio workers and vaccinators behind the scene. In Papua New Guinea, more than 12,000 polio workers and volunteers have been mobilized in 2018. Dr Kasai listened to the challenges of the polio workers in Lufa District during his visit on 1 March 2019.
8) Key to a successful emergency response operations is good strong leadership. Dr Kasai visited the Polio Emergency Operations Center in Goroka, Eastern Highlands on 1 March 2019 to touch base with the coordinators and the response managers and reinforced WHO continuing support.
9) While in PNG, Dr Kasai also met with development partners and donors such as the Australian High Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Japan Embassy and the United Nations Resident Coordinator
10) The WHO Country Office of Papua New Guinea is a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team that is committed to improving the health outcomes in the country. During the staff meeting on 27 February 2019, Dr Kasai expressed appreciation to the tireless efforts of the colleagues and for the dedication in the midst of major health emergencies. The Country Office staff sang tradition song to the Regional Director.