Pacific news in brief for May 13

Papua New Guinea – midwifery

The Papua New Guinea midwifery association says the government needs to bolster investment for the sector immediately.

Port Moresby General Hospital is dealing with a critical midwife shortage amid high birth rates.

The National newspaper reported up to 70 babies are delivered there each day.

They also want sexual reproductive health taught in schools, in an effort to teach the next generation to make more responsible choices and use contraception.

Fifteen-thousand babies are born at Port Moresby General Hospital alone each year.

American Samoa – dengue

American Samoa’s Department of Health is set to start spraying private schools as a preventive effort against dengue fever.

Talanei reports despite no recorded cases of dengue locally, it is a proactive measure as cases continue in neighbouring Samoa.

Health department spokesperson Aileen Solaita said private schools are being sprayed first because they are smaller than public schools.

She said students will learn online while spraying is underway.

Meanwhile, construction has begun on a US$5 million healthcare training facility in American Samoa.

Fiji – drowning

Two children are believed to have died by drowning in Fiji in the space of a few days.

Fiji Police said a one-year-old child was allegedly playing with a cousin outside their Narere home on Saturday, when he disappeared and was later found in the creek.

Investigations continue.

Police said this is the second incident involving a child in a week, and investigators will be looking into the element of negligence.

The death followed the apparent drowning of a 12-year-old boy in the Wainibuka River on Wednesday afternoon.

Northern Marianas – fees

The Northern Mariana Islands ports authority has heeded a call to lower landing fees.

This follows a threat of an airline pulling out from the CNMI due to an increase in airport landing fees, and pressure from Govenor Arnold Palacios.

The Commonwealth Ports Authority decided to revert back to the old rates.

Pacific – exports

Pacific-based exporters can apply for support with rising shipping costs again this year.

Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand is offering small grants to offset rising freight costs, following what it called overwhelming responses to previous years’ Freight Support Package programmes.

The programme is intended for Pacific businesses exporting to New Zealand – to provide some relief towards the high cost of freight, grow demand for Pacific products in New Zealand, and create trade opportunities.

To qualify, businesses must be registered and have an export license from one of the 16 Pacific Islands Forum member countries.