Tonga's Ministry of Health has confirmed that seven Tongans stranded in India have been given the green light to quarantine in New Zealand.
Chief executive of Tonga's Ministry of health Dr Siale Akauola. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Christine Rovoi
Local media has reported that there are 8,000 Tongans stuck overseas due to Covid-19 border restrictions, including 13 Tongans who travelled to India for medical treatment.
Chief Executive Dr Siale 'Akau'ola said he was pleased with the news as it had not been an easy process arranging repatriations for Tongans who were abroad.
"We try our best to support our people who are overseas for example, those in India, we provide financial support to pay for their accommodation and we make sure they are being fed in the hotels that they stay in. We haven't forgotten about the rest of people stranded in other places.
"We're still trying our best to repatriate Tongans through safer routes such as the recently announced plan involving New Zealand," 'Akau'ola said.
He said the seven Tongans coming from India would need to quarantine in managed isolation in New Zealand for two weeks as well as undergo a Covid-19 test.
"Tongans returning to the Kingdom will need to take a test again and quarantine. That's our standard procedure now," he said.
Repatriation flights ended on 12 December and the Minister for MEIDECC (Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications) Poasi Tei told the House that repatriation flights may resume in February.
However, 'Akau'ola said the flight for the seven Tongans from India had yet to be confirmed.
The selection process for people returning home is made by a repatriation committee in Nuku'alofa, which includes Tei.
Priority for previous repatriation cases to date had been given to groups of fruit pickers and families that had been separated by the sudden border closures, particularly elderly and young children.
Matangi Tonga reported that "there remains little or no transparency on the selection process for repatriation."
"People are given short notice of their selection for repatriation and if they cannot get the pre-departure Covid-19 tests done in time, they can't board the flight. Individuals seeking repatriation have no idea of where they stand in the queue of 8000.
"Family groups have no idea if they will all be selected to travel together."
Meanwhile 'Akau'ola said the Mu'a Health Centre was ready to take on patients who tested positive for coronavirus.
"We have staff members who are doing weekly mock exercises in order to be prepared for the first case of Covid-19 in Tonga.
"Of course, we don't want to use our centre and we hope we never have to use it, but we're definitely preparing for the unlikely event that the virus enters our borders."
'Akau'ola said there was a hope a vaccine could be obtained in Tonga before the kingdom suffered its first case of Covid-19.