MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am proud to have today approved funding of A$1.8 million in support of a
national immunisation program aimed at removing polio and other preventable
diseases from our near neighbour Papua New Guinea.
This ambitious plan, to be conducted in September and October of this year,
will see at least 680 thousand PNG children vaccinated over two five day
periods.
The National Immunisation Days (NIDS), co-ordinated by the World Health
Organisation, rely on funding from a number of donor countries, with Australia
contributing about A$1.8 million of the A$2.8 million program aimed at curbing
polio, measels and neonatal tetanus.
As part of the PNG'S Year Of Immunisation, the program will target children
in every province with expected coverage levels of between 70 to 80 percent.
Under Papua New Guinea's National Health Plan (NHP) regular immunisation
patrols, supported by AusAID are conducted and this comprehensive program aims
to supplement the practice by immunising as many children as possible in a short
period of time.
The value to Australia of this sort of aid project-eradicating infectious
diseases on our doorstep-illustrates the lunacy of those who call for a halt to
our aid program. One has to ask of Pauline Hanson: why should Australia
not want to spend money eliminating polio and other diseases on our
northern border.
Media contact: David Alexander,
Mr Thomson's Office (06) 277 4665 Mobile (0412) 146 181 Mark Giffard AusAID
Public Affairs (06) 206 4968