Health centres in four communities in Hela Province welcomed the delivery of special solar-powered vaccine fridges – and the difference an MAF plane makes is as dramatic as the terrain it crosses.
Story by Vicky Powell
In much of Papua New Guinea’s mountainous Hela Province, getting to the nearest hospital where you can vaccinate your kids means days of travel through thick vegetation, crossing dangerous rivers and climbing to high elevations.
In this part of the highlands, there are no roads to drive on. The only way to reach many villages is to take the risk and commit your family to a long journey on foot.
But MAF changes this.
Hela Provincial Health Authority technician Peter Herowa was grateful for the two days that an MAF plane and pilot spent transporting vaccine fridges and solar panels to remote roadless communities within his province.
“MAF has been giving us service, particularly over the past two days,” he said. “We have been loading solar fridges for four locations in the Hela Province.”
The special fridges and their accompanying solar panels were delivered to Ambi, Wanikipa, Agali and Yifki.
“MAF has been helping us very well,” Peter added.
Travelling from Ambi to Wanikipa by foot takes around half a day, much of the time consumed in traversing two ridges. But by MAF plane, this is cut down to less than ten minutes.
To get from Agali to Yifki takes even longer – the walk lasting several days – but with MAF, passengers are able to travel effortlessly over rugged razorback ridges, covering the route in less than 25 minutes.
“We went to Ambi and then to Wanikipa on Tuesday,” Peter said. “On Wednesday we went to Agali and Yifki. The pilot waited for us for one hour on the ground at each location, and we completed installing the fridges at each facility inside the Hela remote places.”
Healthcare worker Yanis Was is grateful for the installations in Yifki.
“With the fridge I’m able to use needles, and all kinds of refrigerated things for children – I can store them in there,” he said. “I’m so happy for your help.
“We the people of the bush thank MAF. We say a big thank you for helping us isolated Papua New Guineans, and the people of Yifki, by bringing the fridge here.”
But it’s not only the travel time which makes this journey difficult by foot.
We the people of the bush thank MAF
With no road connecting these communities, transporting any significant volume of cargo is made nearly impossible. These 133 kg fridges are so large they only just fit inside the Cessna Caravan’s cabin – no sane person would attempt to carry them on
bush tracks.
“We appreciate the loading. Everything went on safe,” Peter said.
The installation of vaccine fridges means people like Yanis can do their work in disease prevention, protecting vulnerable bush people without concern for the clock that ticks on perishable vaccines that are no longer in cold-chain.
As a spokesman for the tribal people of Yifki, Yanis shared his gratitude.
“I’m the health worker here. I speak on behalf of the people and say, ‘Thank you’. Thank you to the MAF team who help us.”