By CHARLIE DUMAVI
THE return of the annual Traukai Fun-Run event after three years will be used to drive awareness against Tuberculosis, a killer disease that has faced a reduction in the effort to fight against it since COVID-19 outbreak in 2019.
This was highlighted during the launching and revealing of the 2023 Trukai fun-run T-shirts at Grand Papua hotel in Port Moresby last week Wednesday.
Health Extension Officer (HEO), Business health Teresa Koratsi expressed that TB is on the rise and therefore it is great to work with PNG Olympic Committee and Trukai Industry to educate people about it.
She said TB is the number one reported Killer disease in the country so the 2023 fun-run T-shirts has the message ‘cover your cough’ printed at the back of it as an awareness to reduce TB.
“The leading cause of death here in PNG at Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) is TB. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a reduced delivery of TB and HIV fighting services which mean more TB cases and more TB deaths,” Koratsi said.
She added that in 2021 alone over 700 TB cases were reported in PMGH and last year, there were 42, 000 TB admission of both children and adult and over 5, 000 people died from the disease last year.
Trukai fun-run is a major fundraiser done in collaboration with PNGOC and Trukai industries to send PNG athletes to represent the country in Olympic, Pacific and the Commonwealth games.
However, the actual fun run vent was suspended in the past three years due to COVID-19. During the suspension PNGOC managed to sale the T-shirts without actually staging the fun-run event.
However, the excitement is already building to raise funds and send the team PNG to Solomon Islands in November 2023, for the Pacific games.
There are 50, 000 Trukai fun-run T-shirts that will be auctioned on March 21, 2023 and March 28, 2023 in Lae and Port Moresby respectively.
Moreover, Minister for Sports Mr. Don Polye who was invited to launch the fun-run urged everyone to keep themselves healthy by taking part in sporting activities.
“Make it a culture in us so that we play sports all the time and living longer and winning medals is the byproduct of that,” Mr. Polye said.
He said he will extend the message to make sure government buy some of the fun-run shirt to raise the fund this year.
PNGOC President Sir John Dawanincura said the partnership between PNGOC and Trukai industries is a lifelong partnership.
This was also confirmed by Trukai Industries Marketing Manager Maryanne Tom.
She said the commitment through sports and to the people of PNG is one of Traukai industries ambitious.
“It is a partnership that demonstrates the commitment throughout 23 years and sports is one of our big investments,” Tom said.
She added that Trukai industries not only invest in sports but also in education and community health in the likes of the ‘cover your cough’ TB campaign and are looking forward to continue its partnership with PNGOC in the future.
