Brisbane produced their most clinical first half performance of the season before fending off a late Eels comeback to win 26-16 in Darwin on Friday night. The Broncos ran in four tries in the opening 40 minutes to set up a 22-6 lead with the combination of halves Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam running riot on the back of a strong platform set by Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan up front early. The ladder leaders then controlled the game in the second half with a further two penalty goals ruling out any chance of an Eels comeback despite two tries in five minutes giving the home side a sniff. Parramatta were coming off a five-day turnaround which appeared to play a part in their lacklustre performance in humid conditions that soon turned torrential at TIO Stadium. The Eels were under the pump from the opening with the visitors taking a 6-0 lead through a try via Herbie Farnworth following a Sean Russell mistake in the air. Brad Arthur's men bounced back with a try of their own off the boot with Clint Gutherson showing his soccer skills to pick up and collect a ball in the in-goal. That was where the end-to-end tussle essentially ended, however, with the Broncos piling on three tries in nine minutes to set up a 16-point lead. It all started with Reynolds finishing off a Mam flick pass for a try before Kotoni Staggs kept a Reece Walsh kick alive to hit it back to Mam for a four-pointer of his own. Reynolds, who had the ball on a string all evening, then set up Staggs with a kick across field that had the perfect bounce for the Broncos centre to go over.   Source: NRL.com

Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority has had an increase in women coming forward for cervical cancer screen at the Mt Hagen Provincial Hospital. Cervical Cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus which is passed from one person to another through sexual encounters. Director of Curative Services, Dr Paulus Ripa said that the screening program has been in operation since May 2022 during which over 2,500 women have been screened. “The Clinic has 8 GeneXpert Machines and they can use 4 machines at the same time to test specimens.” “The Clinic is swamped with people coming in and they see about 60-70 women in a day.” “They come in the morning sit through an awareness session, they are screened then they are given their self swapping kits where the women do the swabs themselves and the specimen is given to our staff to run the test.” Dr Ripa said their results are ready in 90 minutes and the women that are negative for the human papillomavirus are sent home and told to come back in 5 years for screening again. "About 15% of the women that come forward for screening are found to be positive for HPV and they undergo treatment right away." "From the screening, 2% of the women have evidence of cancer in the cervix." He highlighted that it is important for women between the ages of 30-60 years old to go to the clinic for free screening. The Provincial Health Authority has an outreach program where specially fitted trucks go out to the communities and conduct screening for women and girls in the area. This outreach program is done every second week where they screen about 200 women. Dr Ripa added that in the past not much awareness on Cervical cancer and screening was conducted however, the women in the communities are informed as word of mouth is spreading through the women groups that have come in for screening. "Screening is open not only to women in Western Highlands but women in surrounding provinces are more than welcome."

Capital Insurance has announced a 3rd year partnership with Cricket PNG to provide insurance to the Kumul Petroleum PNG Barramundis Men’s & Kumul Petroleum PNG Lewas Women’s team. Capital Insurance has formed a close partnership with Cricket PNG over the past years supporting them in the insurance services and other community initiatives. The announcement was made at a business mixer hosted by Capital insurance in collaboration with the PNG Cricket Teams. Capital Insurance Chief Executive Officer, Mr Jeremy Norton said that he was pleased to announce the partnership. He said this year, they have increased their sponsorship and as a Papua New Guinean company, they are happy to get behind the team. Mr Norton highlighted that this partnership works well because it lets the players focus on playing while they take care of the insurance in terms of travel insurance and making sure that their assets are protected. Meanwhile, Cricket PNG Chief Executive Officer, Mr Gregory Campbell thanked Capital Insurance for coming on board for another year. He said the players are appreciative of this support as it gives them the opportunity to travel and play abroad, meet new people and focus on their training for upcoming games.

80 Participants from nursing colleges and community health workers’ schools around the country attended a week long training for health professional educators in port Moresby recently. Participants from 15 nursing and 17 CHW schools were introduced to the Continuing Professional Development Program which aims to equip educators with skills to be able teach the new curriculums and be able develop curriculums in the future. The training was a joint effort of the National Department of Health, Department of Higher Education Science and Technology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing , Midwifery and Development and the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The project began in 2021 and is managed by the National Department of Health with financial support coming from the Australia Government through WHO CCT University of Technology, Sydney. Director for World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre, Professor Michelle Ramsey said this is part of the project, Evidence-based Curriculum Development and Implementation of National Curricular for Diploma of General Nursing and Certificate for Community Health Workers with the aim is to Strengthen72% of the Health Workforce in Papua New Guinea. The CPDP, also known as the Fast Track Project, aims to provide Recognition of Prior Learning into academic programs that will be hopefully developed in partnership with the University of PNG. The programs provisionally called: Bachelor of Health Professional Education and Graduate Diploma of Health Professional Education will enable the participants to increase their knowledge, skills and competency as teachers of health professionals. The CPD program outlined at this training will form part of that academic award once it is approved. Professor Ramsey also said that there are talks being held with relevant authorities and partners, including University of Papua New Guinea to offer these needed programs. Those who have begun the CPDP at this workshop will get a certificate at the end of the workshop and proposed qualification after two years if they continue and complete all the work based assessments in the program. Meanwhile, NDOH human resource technical advisor Mary Kililo said this training is preparing the participants to be able to teach the new curriculums which are due for delivery in 2024. “I’m happy that this review has been done, paving a way for upgrading in future of our programs to degree levels.’’ “This is also helping us to look at all the other health training programs which could come under the same framework, but from the specificity of their own programs.” Kililo said the reviewed curriculums are divided into four phases and the last of which is on implementation which will require mobilisation of resources. She added that the new curriculum will be taught from next year.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs scored two tries in the final five minutes to down premiers Penrith 20-18 in a Thursday night classic at Accor Stadium. After Latrell Mitchell grabbed his second of the game in the 75th minute to close the gap to two points it was Cody Walker laying on the match-winner for Isaiah Tass with a pearler of a pass with 90 seconds to play. The try was especially sweet for Tass given that he had missed a crucial tackle in the lead-up to hat-trick hero Stephen Crichton's first four-pointer for the Panthers. In a high-quality contest Crichton bagged all 18 points for the Panthers after taking over goalkicking duties from Nathan Cleary, who entered the game with a slight niggle in his groin but still came up with a number of big plays. The Panthers fired the first shot down the left edge when Izack Tago found space and Campbell Graham was forced to come up with a trysaver on Dylan Edwards to keep Souths' line intact. The Rabbitohs then had their first chance after Crichton's short dropout failed to go 10 metres but the premiers held firm. Some Mitchell brilliance from his own end put the Rabbitohs on the front foot midway through the half and it was Damien Cook who cashed in with a try out of dummy half. Mitchell converted to make it 6-0. The Rabbitohs had a golden opportunity to double their lead late in the half when they bundled Edwards into touch after he had taken a bomb but the Panthers' defence was rock solid for two sets and they came up the other end and made Souths pay. A barnstorming run by Spencer Leniu laid the platform and the ball then came right to Crichton, who left Tass in his wake to open Penrith's account with less than a minute to go in the half. Crichton's conversion made it 6-6. The Panthers took the lead through a penalty goal in the 49th minute after Mitchell's short dropout failed to go 10 metres and Crichton knocked over the easy two points. A penalty against Jai Arrow for a crusher tackle then put Penrith on the attack but a trysaver by Mitchell on Sunia Turuva kept the Souths line intact. In the 57th minute Mitchell stamped his class at the attacking end when he took a pass from Walker and surged through three defenders to put the Rabbitohs back in front at 10-8. With 15 minutes to play the Panthers looked to have regained the lead when the Rabbitohs made a mess of a Cleary grubber and Tago pounced but replays showed the centre had knocked on as he tried to ground the ball. A mistake by Mitchell on the next set invited the Panthers into the red zone again and Crichton finished off great lead-up work by Isaah Yeo, Cleary and Edwards to give the premiers a 12-10 lead. Crichton then made it a hat-trick with nine minutes to play when he flew high for a Cleary bomb, the ball bounced off his shoulder into the in-goal and he fell on the loose ball to stretch the Panthers' lead to 18-10. The Rabbitohs bounced back in the 75th minute when Mitchell grabbed his second off a Lachlan Ilias bomb and the margin was back to two points. With time running out the Rabbitohs went left and produced a stunning match-winner through Tass after brilliant lead-up by Alex Johnston and Walker. Source: NRL.Com

International Committee of the Red Cross has been around for 60 years and were the first ever Humanitarian Organisation whose first mission was to help wounded soldiers. They currently have over 100 programs all over the world and here in Papua New Guinea they will now partner with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Head of Mission for ICRC in Papua New Guinea, Mr Georgios Georgantas said that Red Cross started their work in the country in 2000 and in 2007, they established an office here. He said that they have 4 approaches in the work that they carry out; • Assistance – includes medicines, food, shelter • Protection – includes from abuse, violation of the law • Prevention - partnerships with police comes in this approach • Cooperation – Includes capacity building, financial support, logistics “In Papua New Guinea, we support Red Cross PNG with financial support and logistics.” “The mission has grown over the last 10years, and we now have 3 offices, Mt Hagen, Port Moresby and Bougainville.” “Our office in Mt Hagen is bigger because our main aim is to respond to tribal fighting in the Highlands region.” Mr Georgantas added that their work is centred on the Geneva Conventions which are made up of 4 treaties and 3 additional protocols. The Geneva Conventions established international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war and are at the core of international humanitarian law which is also known as the rules of war.

Hela Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop is confident that Hela will change for the better following the capture and arrest of four criminals wanted for a string of serious crimes committed in the province. PPC Tondop said that the suspects were arrested between the moths of March and April by the Joint Security Forces in Hides and Tari with the assistance of communities within Hela. Mr. Tondop said the assistance police is getting from the people shows that the people want law and order to prevail within the province. He stressed that law and order is everyone’s business and not just police. Upon taking command of the province, PPC Tondop initiated major awareness campaigns to win the trust, support, and cooperation of the people. The PPC said among the four arrested was the most wanted criminal (name withheld) believed to be from Pureni village, South Koroba. He was apprehended at the Tari market on Friday March 31 by police with the assistance of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF) personnel, acting from a tip off. PPC Tondop said the suspect was wanted for escaping from lawful custody, armed robbery, willful murder and rape. He was re-arrested and charged again for escaping from lawful custody in 2019 from the Baisu Correctional Services facility in the Western Highlands province. He is now remanded in custody at Baisu and will appear in the District Court in May. PPC Tondop said the other three (names withheld) were arrested and charged on Saturday April 1st at Paivali, Tari Pori check- point with the help of PNGDF personnel acting on a tip off again. He said the suspects were from Tugupe village, Wai Linipini village, Hayapuga Local Level Government in Tari Pori district and Kupari village in Tari Urban. The suspects were wanted for willful murders. Tondop said one suspect was taken to the Baisu Prison in the Western Highlands Province and the other three were taken to Buiyabi Prison in the Southern Highlands Province after they received reports of a possible “rescue” attempt by their criminal associates. “The security forces will continue to enforce the law without fear, favor, ill-will, or malice.” “This is the right thing to do if Hela is to change. We will come down hard and enforce the law on criminals who think they are above the law.” “The law-abiding citizens have shown their support for the work of the security forces in the province and together we will change Hela.” “I am very proud of the performance and achievements of the security personnel where they have arrested and charged over 200 suspects from minor street offences to serious crimes in the last four months compared to zero arrest over 10 years.” “Criminal behavior is abnormal in any society, so we cannot allow criminals to continue to rule Hela through the barrel of a gun.” The PPC said this was a major achievement in the key result area of law enforcement in the province. The security forces would build on this to effect full restoration of government authority and rule of law in the province. He said while the wheels of justice may be slow, they have now started turning in Hela. Mr. Tondop urged all citizens to rise up, unite, go home, and educate their families and clan members and support the work of security forces in the province. He asked the public to provide the names and locations of criminals with high powered weapons in the communities to ensure that they and their weapons are removed from the various communities in Hela. He added that a number of developments are taking place within the Hela Provincial Police Command to improve policing services such as: · The establishment of a toll-free number for the public to call should they wish to report a crime or seek police assistance; and · The establishment of a Crime Information Management System linked to a crime database. Support has come from its partners, especially the Hela Provincial Government. Preliminary work on this has started with the design phase is in progress. The PPC added that the future of the children of Hela is in the hands of educated citizens and leaders at all levels. He said children must grow up and get their education in a peaceful, safe, and secure environment. He further added that no amount of input from any foreigner will change Hela but the love, time, commitment and cooperation of the Hela elites themselves will bring lasting peace, change and development to the province.  

Police have arrested five men for stealing a mobile phone from the Managing Director of a security company and later attempted to extort K500 for the return of the phone. On Monday, April 10, 2023, Mr. Anthon Kaupa, the Managing Director of Kuima Security Service was at his office in Taurama with one of the suspect and others when his mobile phone went missing. The next day, the suspect and his accomplices allegedly called Mr. Kaupa and told him that they had his phone with them and asked him for K500 for its return. They told him to meet them at Bautama, in the Central Province. Mr. Kaupa called NCD police and informed them of the call and police officers from Sector Patrol 104 Unit quickly hatched a plan to capture the suspects. A policeman in civilian accompanied Mr. Kaupa in his vehicle to meet the suspects whilst other policemen followed in another unmarked vehicle. The five suspects were rounded up and apprehended and the phone was recovered and given back to the owner. Mr. Kaupa was pleased with the police officers for an excellent job planning their operation professionally and recovered the phone and also arrested the suspects.

The Kikori District Development Authority (KDDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with faith-based Non-Government Organization (NGO) Samaritan Aviation Incorporation (SAI) aimed at improving health access for the hard-to-reach population along the districts delta areas, river systems and water ways. Eoe said that the MoU highlights the importance to provide efficient health care and health services for those in the areas not connected by roads or rural airstrips, but only accessed by SAI’s sea planes. “The partnership is focused on KDDA’s five-year funding commitment of a hundred thousand kina per year to support the aviation ministry to set up its operations within the district, and rollout out is services that include emergency life flights, medicine delivery, provide immediate disaster relief and vaccine outreaches in partnership with hospitals, health centers and clinics within the district.” Dr. Cooke expressed his gratitude to KDDA Chairman, Soroi Eoe and his Board Members in acknowledging the need to partner with the aviation ministry in its mission to serve those in need of medical care. “We have already done two surveys in the province this year and plan to begin our rollout services in Kapuna by September working closely with health experts there to begin with our health patrols.” The MoU was signed between KDDA Chairman and Member for Kikori, Soroi Marepo Eoe and Samaritan Aviation Medical Director Dr. Chris Cooke. This signing was witnessed by SAI’s Advisory Board Member Michelle Hau’ofa and KDDA Board Member and Local Level Government (LLG) President for West Kikori Mr. Buara Esega in Port Moresby on Tuesday, 18th April 2023.  

Save the Children is implementing a project with 3 Provincial Health Authorities in East Sepik province, Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Western province. Save the Children’s Safe Children, Healthy Mothers nutrition project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program. 14 solar panels and generators were presented to East Sepik Provincial Health Authority and, 9 to the AROB’s Department of Health recently. The Western Province PHA is yet to receive theirs. Technicians from the East Sepik Provincial Health Authority with Save the Children have been carried out he 220 watts solar panels and generators in health facilities across Ambunti, Drekikier, Wosera, Gawi, Wewak Rural, Kairuru Island, Koil Island and Angoram. They managed to complete the installations earlier this month. Nursing Officer in Charge at Marienberg Health Sub-Centre in Angoram, Sr. Vanessa Kim said the health facility is located along the Sepik River with the biggest challenge being the lack of a lighting system to work on patients during the night. “Many of the patients we see are those that must be treated with the help of medical equipment that use power such as asthma patients who need a nebulizer or pregnant women who give birth in the night.” She thanked Save the Children and the East Sepik PHA for ensuring Marienberg Sub-Health Centre received the solar panels and generator. This will provide lighting to the facility and help them treat patients in the night. Save the Children’s SCHM Project Manager Ronny Inaha explained that a base line assessment conducted in 2021 in East Sepik, Bougainville and Western province and they had identified that many remote health facilities lacked lighting system and officers found it difficult to attend to maternity and emergency cases in the night. “After the baseline assessment we found out that most of these remote health facilities within the communities that we’re implementing our nutrition project didn’t have a lighting system which has made it difficult to treat patients at night.” Apart from Marienberg Sub-Health Centre other facilities that also received solar panels and generators include; Samban Health Center, Tongujamb AidPost, Ambunti SDA Pathfinder Clinic, Avatip Community Health Post, Kunjingini Health Center, Kaugia Health Center, Wombisa Health Center, Gawi (Burui) Health Center, Drekikier Health Center, Bungain Aid Post, Woginara Aid Post, Koil Aid Postand Kairuru Aid Postin East Sepik. Installation work is expected to begin in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Western province soon. Malnutrition is the underlying cause of half of all under five deaths with almost half of children aged 6-59 months being stunted. Under its Safe Children, Healthy Mothers project, Save the Children is working to reduce malnutrition in 30 communities in ARoB, 25 communities in East Sepik and 35 communities in Western province.

Young Wilchi Paddy Kapin was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma (Cancer in the eye) in his right eye on the 9th February, 2023 at the Port Moresby General Hospital. Retinoblastoma is the second most common cancer in children and it affects children under the age of 5. Wilchi was born a healthy baby and in January at just a year old, his mother noticed that he had something like ‘cats-eye’ so she took him to be examined at St John and then referred to an eye specialist at the Port Moresby General Hospital. This is where WIlchi’s parents were informed that 60% of his right eye was covered by the cancerous tumor. Since he was unable to talk, they weren’t sure at first if he could see through his right eye. Wilchi’s Mother, Normajean Gapi said that he had the first chemotherapy cycle on February 22nd and that went well. “Wilchi was supposed to have another cycle on March 22nd however we were sent home with antibiotics as he had developed fever and flu.” “He had his second cycle a few weeks later, but he has only had 2 of the 3 drugs that he needs.” “The hospital only had one of the drugs and we had to source the second one from a private pharmacy.” Normajean said that they will be hosting a BBQ fundraiser on the the 22nd of April to start raising funds to cover his treatment and logistics. She added that the most children with retinoblastoma have had their eye removed and she doesn’t want that for her son. Once he completes his 6 months treatment, the doctor will give them options on whether to have his eye removed or go overseas for treatment to save his eye. She is hoping they will raise enough so if he does need to go overseas they won’t need to do last minute fundraising. Meanwhile, Paediatrician Dr Benjamin Daur said at the children’s cancer ward at POMGEN, they have about 7 children with retinoblastoma who are currently undergoing treatment. He highlighted that there are 4 stages; • Stage I: The tumor is only in the eye and the cancer can be treated by removing the eye. No cancer cells remain after treatment. •Stage II: The tumor is only in the eye. Cancer cells remain after the eye has been removed, but the cells are so small they only appear under a microscope. • Stage III: The cancer spreads to tissues surrounding the eye socket which causes the eye to swell Or it spreads to lymph nodes in the neck or ear Lymph causing them to swell aswell. • Stage IV: The cancer spreads to other parts of the body. Cancer that spreads may affect the bones or liver or the brain or spinal cord. “Most parents bring their children in when the child is in stage 3 or 4 and thats when we have to remove the eye.” “The chances of the cancer spreading is high when they are in their late stages and we lost children when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body like the brain.” “Children must be brought in early so we can treat them early.” “These children go through treatment for 7-8months inclusive of chemotherapy cycles and surgery.” “Once they (Children) have undone surgery, we ask them to come for review for the next 5yrs so we make sure that the cancer hasn’t come back.” Dr Daur added that shortage of drugs are short at this time as most the drugs have expired and they have had to ask parents to buy from private hospitals and pharmacies while they wait for the hospitals supplies to arrive sometime this month. He further added that POMGEN is able to treat cancers in children but there are some cases where parents want specialist treatment then they are able to do so overseas.

Port Moresby General’s Obstetrics & Gynaecology Division like all provincial and district hospitals around the country will be able to provide proper support to difficult births and save the lives of mothers and newborns. This is thanks to the donation of 35 Vacuum Sets by the United Nations Population Fund Country office recently. 24 hours a day midwives at Port Moresby General Hospital and throughout the country strive to ensure that mothers experience safe deliveries while reducing maternal and newborn deaths. Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Port Moresby General Hospital Professor Glen Mola, welcomed the life saving sets and expressed the importance of having the right equipment available for emergencies. “These instruments are essential to help mothers during labor when they are having difficulties delivering their baby.” “It can save the lives of both the mother and baby.” Professor Glen Mola confirmed that the vacuum sets will be distributed to all provincial and district hospitals throughout PNG starting this week to assist trained health professionals during difficult child deliveries. PNG’s Midwifery Society President Sr. Mary Sitaing shared similar sentiments adding that there has been a shortage of vacuum kits in the country since 2010. “Vacuum extractor sets are very important instruments for health workers, especially in assisting those mothers who cannot have a normal delivery due to complications that are life threatening to both the mother and child’s lives.” “We thank development partners, especially UNFPA for their continuous support to midwives through such supplies.” UNFPA Country Representative Ms. Marielle Sander said the Agency’s commitment to bridge the gaps between availability of medical supplies and equipment to health facilities throughout the country. “Investing in midwives leads to a world where every pregnancy is wanted and every childbirth is safe and this is at the heart of UNFPA’s three transformative results, especially in Papua New Guinea.” “As part of this delivery, Laerdal Global Health (Norway) has provided birthing mannequins to the Midwifery Society so that midwives can keep their life-saving skills up-to-date.” UNFPA has supported this workforce with the equipment and medicines they need to provide the best care to women and girls in PNG.