Helicopter company HEVILIFT today donated protective gear and equipment worth K45,000 bought from Australia to governors of the two provinces at the HEVILIFT hanger at 7 Mile, Port Moresby.

The efforts of front line health workers combating the spread of COVID-19 in Gulf and Western provinces received a major boost today. Helicopter company HEVILIFT today donated protective gear and equipment worth K45,000 bought from Australia to governors of the two provinces at the HEVILIFT hanger at 7 Mile, Port Moresby.

The protective gear includes hand gloves (2000 units), hand sanitizers (130 units), face masks (4,000 units), face shields (1,000 units), thermal temperature thermometers (10 units) and mobile disinfectant units (10 units).

HEVILIFT handed the equipment to its major shareholder Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC), whose Chief Operating Officer Mr. John Tuaim was on hand to receive it.

Mr. Tuaim thanked HEVILIFT for the valuable donation, which he said would be sent to front line health workers in the Gulf and Western provinces who were working hard in difficult conditions to protect the people from the spread of the infectious virus. “We all know about this coronavirus, how far around the world in has spread, the high number of deaths and economic destruction it has inflicted. It is a very deadly virus. “Our neighbors Australia and Indonesia have been hit badly. Since the first case was reported in PNG on March 20, we have had only 8 confirmed cases.

All have recovered well, and tests are continuing for who are persons of interest. “We have to continue to be on guard. We cannot be complacent. Our people in Gulf and Western provinces, including beneficiaries of projects we are participants in, are exposed to great risks because their villages face the open land and sea borders. “Our health authorities fear transmission of the virus is most likely from people traveling to and from the border for whatever reasons.

“The frontline health workers there face a huge challenge in keeping the community safe. That is why I’m so pleased that these valuable protective gear and equipment will be sent to them to help them in their cause,” Mr. Tuaim said.

Mr. Tuaim said landowners and beneficiaries in other provinces were MRDC operated in would also be receiving similar support to combat COVID-19. “As the country resumes some level of normalcy, and as our children return to school, we will all adopt measures to protect ourselves from the virus daily. We will do our best to help all our landowners and beneficiaries adopt to the new normal and protect themselves from the deadly virus,” he said.

He handed the sets of gears to Governors Chris Haiveta (Gulf) and Taboi Awi Yoto (Western). Governor Yoto expressed gratitude, saying his province is seeing a real threat to the virus, as it shares boarders with Indonesia. “it’s good to see our investment companies joining in to help us fight this virus. Just last week we received a donation from Pacific International Hospital, another one of our investments, and today from Hevilift””. There is a real shortage. PPE’s are not reaching our people in the remote areas, especially Western province and its vast land border with Indonesia. This is timely, and we are thankful. Governor for Gulf also expressed similar sentiments. Governor Haiveta said the government was yet to deliver on its commitment to his provinces in the fight against COVID-19. He said such donations were now crucial in helping their provinces to protect themselves from the spread of this pandemic. MRDC will facilitate the delivery of these PPE donations with the help of the Governors to Western and Gulf provinces in the coming days.