The Australian Council for International Devlopment (ACFID), the peak body for international development and humanitarian action, strongly endorses a new federal government agreement with Papua New Guinea to bolster the development of new tropical disease treatments and shield against antimicrobial resistance.
The partnership between Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and governments throughout the region was finalised on the sidelines of the 30th Australia- Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum this week.
ACFID CEO Marc Purcell said it would allow CSIRO to help identify, track and respond to health emergencies in the region. It will be delivered as part of Australian Government’s five-year $620 million Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative.
“The Australian aid sector welcomes the announcements made by the government over the past several days. In particular, we welcome investment to strengthen Papua New Guinea’s health systems. Concerningly, the country’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for health outcomes are not on track,” he said.
“COVID-19 exposed structural gaps and inequities across the Pacific and Southeast Asia. This week’s agreement is essential to help strengthen regional health systems.
“ACFID and the sector are also pleased to see Papua New Guinea’s budget investments to strengthen its legal system, signaling an important commitment to supporting development fundamentals within the region.”
ACFID also welcomes the commitment of an additional $2.2 million for recovery efforts following devastating landslides in Enga Province as well as funding for health services, education initiatives and infrastructure to support local communities after this horrific tragedy.
