By HARLYNE JOKU
THE AstraZeneca vaccination rollout program will begin in Papua New Guinea this afternoon at the Oil Search Stadium in the capital, Port Moresby.
Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) CEO Dr Paki Molumi will lead the first group of senior doctors, nurses and health workers to take the first dose at about 1 pm today at Boroko.
Dr Molumi confirmed this last night saying there is a list available for the first group of health workers who will take part in the vaccination roll out program which is voluntary.
Last week PMGH health workers went through an awareness program to prepare themselves to receive the vaccine.
Dr Molumi announced then that he would lead the first group of senior PMGH health front liners to take the vaccination.
Two weeks ago, the National Department of Health Secretary Dr Osborne Liko confirmed that PNG Government signed the regulatory approval needed for the COVID-19 vaccines to be brought into PNG by the COVAX facility.
He said health care workers are at a very high risk of infection and will be amongst the first to be offered the COVID-19 vaccines.
Just last Tuesday, the Australian Government delivered to PNG 8,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccines from their own supplies.
Dr Molumi said there was a critical need for PMGH health workers to get vaccinated because 200 of them were tested positive with COVID-19 and half of the number are in isolation weakening the strength of the hospital staff needed to care for other patients suffering from other serious illness there.