Emergency Assistance to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea for Disastrous Cholera Outbreak

October 2, 2009
Japanese

On October 2, the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency assistance to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a countermeasure against an outbreak of infectious diseases such as cholera. The assistance includes items such as intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution, disinfectants, water purification materials, medicated soaps, bleach solution, sprayers, and portable jerry cans, equivalent to about 8 million JPY.
It was early September when the outbreak of cholera, highly infectious bacillary dysentery and seasonal influenza in the Morobe Province, the northern part of PNG. Because it spread throughout the province so quickly that the number of infected people had increased dramatically over the period of half a month. According to the National Health Department of PNG, the diseases caused 124 deaths and 6,475 possible infected people as of September 25 (Fri). It is predicted that the larger number of people will possibly be infected by the diseases.
The Government of Japan has decided to extend the assistance in response to the request for aid from the Government of PNG from a humanitarian standpoint in consideration of the victims of the disaster, and the friendly relations between Japan and PNG.

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