Activities in Papua New Guinea

Official opening of MDA (mass drug administration) in East New Britain Province on the 4th April 2022

1. Introduction & Background

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been taking measures against Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), designated by the World Health Organization (WHO), including the containment of Lymphatic Filariasis (LF). NTDs are infectious diseases deeply connected to poverty and health disparities that are prevalent mainly in tropical countries. Most of them are parasitic and bacterial infections transmitted by mosquitoes, flies, and so on. It is widely known that poor people are at high risk of infection because they live in environments with poor sanitation, this type of environment is ideal for the proliferation vectors. Physical disabilities and deformities caused by the development of NTDs compel patients (or their family members) to suffer mental anguish and economic damages due to social prejudice and discrimination not only due to their physical disabilities but also their peculiar disfigurement. Moreover, the difficulties of treatment and rehabilitation make the patient's (and family's) suffering insurmountable throughout their lives. It is estimated that 1.7 billion people need treatment for at least one NTD annually. With respect to LF, 860 million people in 50 countries were exposed to the risk of filarial infections in 2019. In PNG, a very high microfilaria infection rate of 18.5 to 27.5 percent has been reported by previous study that surveyed 312 locations across the country.

Under this situation, JICA and the National Department of Health (NDoH) of PNG has started the measures against LF in collaboration with the Institute of Medical Research (IMR), WHO, USAID, and many other development partners in East New Britain, West New Britain and New Ireland Province. The aim of this project is to strengthen the capacity of NDOH and PHAs and health volunteers to implement Mass drug administration (MDA) and Transmission assessment survey (TAS) to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis under the Pacific Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (PacELF) launched by WHO.

As for April 2022, the Project already conducted four rounds of the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) (2014-2019) and the Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS) in New Ireland Province (NIP) (2020) and the two rounds of MDA in East New Britain Province (ENBP) (2019, 2022). The first round of MDA in West New Britain Province is scheduled to conducted in 2022-2023. In PNG, NTDs, including LF, are urgent and important issues to be solved. JICA and NDOH will continue to take measures against NTDs.

2. Basic Information

• JICA Cooperation Scheme: Technical Cooperation
• Target Development Sector: Health Sector
• Target SDGs: SDG Goals: 3 Good Health and Wellbeing
• Counterpart Organization (Web URL)
  National Department of Health
  Website: www.health.gov.pg (external link)
• Duration: October 2018 - February 2023
• Target Provinces, Location: New Ireland, East New Britain and West New Britain Province.

3. Outline of Project

• Project purpose
  Measure against LF is strengthened and institutionalized in target provinces
• Overall goal
  The operational system for response to LF is maintained in the target provinces
• Outputs
  1. Operational capacity of IDA-based MDA is developed and strengthened in the target provinces
  2. National operational guide for IDA-based MDA is drafted
  3. Operational Capacity for pre-TAS is developed and strengthened in the target provinces
  4. Evaluation of the results of IDA-based MDA and TAS is available for future development of Dossier in the target provinces

4. More information

Recent Activities

Official opening of MDA in East New Britain Province on the 4th April 2022.

MDA in one of the Primary schools in East New Britain Province.

MDA demonstration by health workers during the opening of MDA in East New Britain Province.