NZ hoping youth vaccinations will improve Pasifika stats
The New Zealand government hopes that opening up Covid-19 vaccinations for adolescents will improve stats for Pasifika communities.
New Zealand's Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said with vaccinations for 12-15 year olds coming online he expects to see improvements in the low vaccination rates for Pasifika.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
"One of the key parts to my advice to government to bring 12 to 15 year olds on was because of the younger structure of our Maori and Pasifika populations and so it will have a proportionately greater impact on that population and so I am very keen to encourage them to get out and get vaccinated."
Australia to pick up tab for Samoa patrol boat salvage and repairs
The Australian Government has agreed to foot the bill to refloat and repair the $US9.6 million dollar MV Nafanua II which stranded on the reef at Savaii two weeks ago.
The Samoa Observer reports the National Emergency Operations Centre is leading the response for the Samoan government which sought salvage assistance from Canberra.
An advance team arrived on Friday to stabilise the vessel and prepare it for salvage.
The police patrol boat, which was donated by Australia in 2019, ran aground while transporting police officers to boost the Savaii force after the former ruling HRPP party planned a rally on the island.
West Papua church leader questions why Indonesia unwilling to have talks with Papuans
A West Papua church leader has questioned why Indonesia has been unwilling to have meaningful talks with Papuans to resolve ongoing conflict in the region.
The President of the Fellowship of Baptist Churches of West Papua, Reverend Socratez Sofyan Yoman, said persistent crackdowns on Papuan human rights by Indonesian security forces reveal a racist state approach.
He said after five decades, Papuans still largely disagree with how Indonesia has administered their homeland, and what is needed is internationally mediated peace talks such as Aceh province had with Jakarta in the 2000s
"Our question is why Acehnese is given the opportunity to sit together around the table to talk genuinely, dignified, but why discrimination, discrimination not give us the same opportunity to talk?"
Solomons govt to conduct test lockdown of national capital
The Solomon Islands government has announced a 36 hour lockdown in the capital Honiara next Sunday to test the country's Covid-19 response capabilities.
In a statement on Friday the government said the lockdown was necessary given the surge of the deadly Covid-19 delta variant globally.
It said this was especially important as the country prepares for a limited re-opening of incoming flights which have been suspended for weeks because of worsening delta outbreaks in neighbouring countries.
It said Cabinet has approved the trial of the revised Lock-down plan for the Honiara Emergency Zone through a 36-hour lockdown from 6pm on Sunday 29th August to 6am Tuesday 31 August 2021.
The government through National Disaster Council (NDC) said the Lock-down plan was recently reviewed to take into account lessons from the lockdown last year and the delta variant.
The review was done by the National Disaster Operations Committee along with stakeholders and donor partners.