Australia poised to send even MORE coronavirus vaccines to PNG after desperate call for help 


Australia poised to send even MORE coronavirus vaccines to PNG after desperate call for help

  • PNG faces a worsening crisis with hundreds of new cases recorded each day
  • The federal government delivered an initial 8480 doses of the AstraZeneca jab
  • More locally produced stocks could be sent to Australia’s northern neighbour
  • CSL is contracted to make 50million AstraZeneca doses in Melbourne this year

More Australian-made coronavirus vaccines could be sent to Papua New Guinea, which is in the grips of a dire outbreak.

PNG, which is just kilometres from Australia’s northernmost islands, faces a worsening crisis with hundreds of new cases recorded each day despite low testing rates.

While the federal government has delivered an initial 8480 doses of the AstraZeneca jab, more locally produced stocks could be sent to Australia’s northern neighbour.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson said the government was aware of the urgency of the situation.

PNG faces a worsening crisis with hundreds of new cases recorded each day despite low testing rates. Pictured: Port Moresby general hospital

PNG faces a worsening crisis with hundreds of new cases recorded each day despite low testing rates. Pictured: Port Moresby general hospital

Pharmaceutical giant CSL is contracted to manufacture 50 million AstraZeneca (pictured) doses in Melbourne during the year

Pharmaceutical giant CSL is contracted to manufacture 50 million AstraZeneca (pictured) doses in Melbourne during the year

‘The possibility of some of Australia’s domestically produced stocks being able to be used for this purpose is certainly something that is live but yet formally to be decided by government,’ she said on Thursday.

Pharmaceutical giant CSL is contracted to manufacture 50 million AstraZeneca doses in Melbourne during the year.

Greens senator Janet Rice told a Senate estimates hearing there was an urgent and dire need for vaccines in Papua New Guinea.

‘We’ve got this absolute tragedy unfolding in PNG,’ she said.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne indicated cabinet would consider the issue of sending more Australian-made vaccines.

‘That is something which must be on the table,’ she said.

Australia has also pledged to redirect one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine ordered from Europe to PNG.

But there are doubts those vials will ever leave Europe where countries are desperately trying to hang on to domestic stocks.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson said the government was aware of the urgency of the situation

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson said the government was aware of the urgency of the situation

While the federal government has delivered an initial 8480 doses of the AstraZeneca jab, more locally produced stocks could be sent. Pictured: Port Moresby general hospital

While the federal government has delivered an initial 8480 doses of the AstraZeneca jab, more locally produced stocks could be sent. Pictured: Port Moresby general hospital

Ms Adamson said all of Australia’s European missions were advocating for the plight of PNG in an effort to ensure the vaccines are released.

‘It’s not one of a long list of things we’re doing, it’s the top priority in Europe,’ she said.

DFAT’s Robin Davies said the PNG government was not expecting to be ready to rollout a mass vaccination campaign until mid-May.

‘There are genuine limitations,’ he said.

Almost 300,000 doses are expected to be delivered to PNG in April through the global COVAX arrangement for poorer nations.

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