PPE

Tonga continues COVID-19 vigilance, with WHO assistance

Tonga has received 24,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX Facility – a partnership between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO.

At the same time, WHO is continuing to support Tonga’s public health measures, including vigilance to the threat of an outbreak of COVID-19.

In mid-March, 2.9 metric tonnes of medical supplies from WHO and UNICEF were delivered by the World Food Programme-managed Humanitarian Air Service from Nadi, in Fiji, to Nuku’alofa, in Tonga.

New Zealand delivers military truck parts and PPE to Tonga

A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules delivered the freight in a contactless logistics stop, with the goods offloaded at Fua’amotu International Airport for Tongan authorities to distribute.

The PPE, including 3800 gowns, has been provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and will be used by Tongan health workers and for those staffing managed isolation facilities in Tonga.

Tonga still waiting for vital components for virus testing

Dr. ‘Amelia Afuha’amango said testing devices for the COVID-19 have arrived in Tonga but other equipment is needed.

The World Health Organisation expects to have more batches of COVID-19 testing equipment delivered by the end of the week.

Kaniva News reports more GeneXpert Cartridges had been delivered, but the batch of control kits destined for the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Wallis and  Futuna was only 80% complete.

The testing equipment can be used once the additional material arrives.