Thursday 19 November 2020
Papua New Guinea is maximizing its response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by acquiring new equipment such as pulse oximeters.
Around 50 pulse oximeters were handed over to the Health Facility Branch of the National Department of Health (NDOH) by the Society of Anaesthetists of Papua New Guinea (SAPNG) to distribute to the health facilities in the country.
“As we respond to COVID-19, we are looking at the challenges facing the health system and addressing some of those challenges as we go along. Although these devices have been acquired for COVID-19, they will eventually be used to care for patients suffering from other diseases as well,’’ said Controller of the National Pandemic Response Mr David Manning.
The pulse oximeters, received by the SAPNG as a donation from the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, will each be paired off with an oxygen concentrator. These will be sent to the provinces starting next week.
“The pulse oximeter is a small, clip-like device that attaches most commonly on a finger, to check how well the heart is pumping oxygen through the body.”
The donation was handed over by the President of the SAPNG Dr Avin Karu during the training on the use of ventilators this week which was attended by doctors, nurses and biomedical engineers from five provinces.
Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea’s total confirmed cases of COVID-19 remained at 604 in the last 24 hours, including seven deaths.
In today’s update, the daily provincial reports on COVID-19 shows only nine provinces sending reports – an increase of two from the day before.
To date, a total of 30,027 people in PNG have been tested for COVID-19 of which 604 have been confirmed. Out of this figure, 585 have recovered. The number of tests pending results stand at 138. There are 12 active cases, including those in isolation.
The distribution of the cases in the country are as follows:
| Provinces | Confirmed Cases |
| NCD | 348 |
| Western Province | 204 |
| Eastern Highlands | 13 |
| West New Britain | 11 |
| Central | 7 |
| Morobe | 5 |
| East Sepik | 3 |
| Milne Bay | 2 |
| East New Britain | 2 |
| Enga | 2 |
| New Ireland | 2 |
| West Sepik | 1 |
| Southern Highlands | 1 |
| AROB | 1 |
| Hela Province | 1 |
| Western Highlands | 1 |
| TOTAL | 604 |
Globally, the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 has reached 55,326,907, of which 536,224 were reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll is 1,333,472, of which 9,220 were reported in the last 24 hours.
Media contact: Chief Superintendent Dominic D. Kakas, BEM, DPS
COVID-19 Media & Public Information Joint Agency Task Force
Mobile: 75430557 email: ddkakas@gmail.com
Police email: ddkakas.policemedia@gmail.com
COVID-19 JATF email: ddkakas.covid19media@gmail.com