Eastern Highlands is on Alert

Things have been pretty hectic the past 24 hours with the local Health Authorities and Goroka General Hospital starting to mobilise after confirmation that Cholera has finally worked its way into the Highlands.

Interestingly the Goroka Show is still going ahead with thousands of visitors expected to pour into town from the coastal areas as well as neighbouring Districts. Although there’s much talk about doing this and doing that – I have yet to see any decisive action to mitigate and contain the outbreak. Having said that the management of Goroka Hospital alongside Provincial Health officials have met on several occasions over the past 24 hours in an attempt to come up with a Plan.

In the meantime 1000’s continue to travel every day between the affected areas on the coast and the Highlands!

With the settlement situation (town sewerage pours straight into Genoka) and its poor hygiene, lack of clean water supply and sprawling rubbish, folks pissing and shitting wherever they feel like it, and of course the urban collection of PNG “fast” market food (lamb flaps and/or sausages cooked on old oil drum lids) – heaven have mercy on Goroka and it’s people should Cholera hit this town.   

A couple of information pamphlets on Cholera and Disease Outbreaks are available in the Resources section for download and reading:

• Pandemic Flu Information Booklet (1.38 MB)
• Cholera - FAQ (53.96 KB)
• Cholera outbreak WHO (272.12 KB)

Today’s newspapers are reporting the following:

Dysentery outbreak reaches Bulolo

Post Courier: story by Patrick Levo

THE dysentery outbreak has reached Bulolo with five cases reported yesterday.Bulolo Hospital health extension officer Logan Yakam yesterday confirmed they had admitted and were treating the patients. Bulolo is snug between Lae, where there is a cholera outbreak, and Menyamya, where 102 people have died from dysentery and influenza related illnesses…

Cholera deaths up five

Post Courier: story by Franco Nebas

THE Cholera death toll has increased to five while the number of admissions has accumulated to 63 at Angau’s Cholera Treatment Centre yesterday. However, one death was attributed to other medical conditions, national Health Department local point co-ordinator Dr Victor Golpak revealed yesterday. Dr Golpak said there were six deaths, however one was disputed as it was attributed to other medical conditions…

EHP on Alert

The National: story by Zachery Per

GOROKA, which hosts its annual show and bilum festival this weekend, is on high alert amidst fears that the cholera outbreak could spread there. One Eastern Highlander who visited Morobe province recently is suspected to have contracted cholera, and authorities are worried about the influx of people for the show and the bilum festival this weekend. As a precautionary health measure, authorities have banned the sale of cooked food in schools and open markets,and are considering doing the same at the Goroka showground…

Menyamya battles to contain dysentery

The National: story by Pisai Gumar

THE total number of areas in Menyamya affected by dysentery stands at 21, with the epidemic gradually spreading to the border of Morobe, Gulf and Eastern Highlands provinces. Deputy health programme adviser for Morobe, Micah Yawing, said the ongoing outbreak of dysentery had spread from Wailala at the border of Menyamya to a nearby village in the Eastern Highlands province…