Improving water access and COVID-19 knowledge in remote PNG

Above: Locals assist in moving a 5000L water tank from a tugboat to the dinghy at Wasum to be transported by foot to Koporuo Anglican Chapel.

PNG churches have been an integral part of the AHP COVID-19 response in Papua New Guinea, working alongside community leaders to share information and resources, and to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

The Anglican Diocese of the New Guinea Islands assisted with implementation of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership response through Church Agency Network Disaster Operations (CAN DO), supported by the Australian Government. The Diocese mobilised local volunteers to transport and install water tanks, distribute hand washing buckets, and share information on the importance of handwashing, good health, and basic preventative measures for COVID-19.

Target communities in West New Britain Province were selected were based on a baseline survey carried out by Anglicare in 2020, and installation sites have included a mix of primary schools, aid posts and local churches.

Above: Local youth carry a 5000L water tank from the shore to the inland Zebu Primary School for installation.

So far, nine 5000 L water tanks have been installed, 30 handwashing buckets distributed, two handwashing stations installed and information and community education materials distributed widely. Transporting the tanks to the sites has involved significant support from local communities, given the remote terrain. The project team has also received community assistance (labour and materials) to install rainwater catchment systems for the tanks, and handwashing stations.

Most of the selected communities lack clean drinking water, so the water collected in the tanks will also be used for cooking and drinking, as well as handwashing, improving community health overall.

The response from communities has been very positive. In Wasum village, which is located near the mouth of the Anu River, the village chief said that the tank installed at the local church had stopped women and girls from needing to paddle kilometres upstream in the river to collect clean water for their households. Because of the village’s location, water close to homes is often mixed with sea water or dirty, and the task of fetching cleaner water from the river primarily fell to women and girls, who would have to travel upstream with large cooking pots and containers.

During the installation of the tanks, focus group discussions with communities showed that misconceptions and myths about COVID-19 were still at large in the Kandrian and Gloucester districts, especially regarding potential side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Team leader Albert Aisim said that more awareness activities were needed, as misinformation was travelling to remote communities faster than facts. One parish had even rejected COVID-19 vaccines that had been delivered to the remote community by the provincial government because of concerns about vaccination.

The Anglican Diocese of New Guinea is continuing to work with communities to bring behaviour change and better understanding of COVID-19 and vaccination in rural areas of West New Britain Province.