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Papua New Guinea Drought, Resilience Building and Documentation of IDPs, Situation Report - 31 December 2016

Countries
PNG
Sources
IOM
Publication date
Origin
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Highlights

  • IOM has enhanced recovery of health services through the provision of sustainable water supply at health facilities in Enga, Jiwaka and Simbu Provinces.

  • IOM has built a gravity-fed water supply system providing clean water to 1,200 households in Morobe Province.

  • IOM has worked with the PNG Civil and Identity Registry Office to document and register the displaced community of Lese Ward, Gulf Province into PNG’s new national registration system.

Situation Overview

Several communities in Papua New Guinea (PNG) continue to suffer from the effects of man-made and natural hazards including the 2015/16 El Niño induced drought and frost. In many places crop production failed and the supply of water and staple foods were significantly affected. Consequently schools and health centres shut down for lack of water. Several people were driven to use water from unsafe sources increasing the risk of water borne diseases and related health problems.

In response to these difficult and challenging times, IOM continues to provide assistance to at-risk and disaster affected communities in PNG. IOM’s assistance includes provision of resilient safe water sources to local communities. Over the past four months, IOM has equipped health centres in Enga, Jiwaka and Simbu with hand pump boreholes to enhance the recovery of water supply at health facilities. IOM interventions on sustainable agriculture has improved the food security situation in Enga, Jiwaka and Simbu Provinces.

In the past, service delivery in rural PNG has been based on estimated population levels. However, an accurate population profile equips the Government with the information it needs to better plan public services needed by a community, and will be crucial in a coordinated response to future population displacement. IOM has worked with the PNG Civil and Identity Registry Office to document and register the displaced community of Lese Ward, Gulf Province into PNG’s new national registration system.