Strengthening malaria response on the ground in Papua New Guinea – Naomi Gima, Malaria Champion
by APLMA •
Naomi Gima and her team in Papua New Guinea. Credit Rotarians Against Malaria 2024
Naomi Gima is a Regional Malaria Coordinator in Papua New Guinea, leading a team conducting field visits to communities and health centres across Morobe Province to strengthen local capacities to prevent malaria.
"I work in Morobe province, where malaria is rife in both remote and urban communities. Our goal is to ensure an uninterrupted supply of malaria test kits and drugs to all health facilities year-round.”
Despite being a preventable and treatable disease, malaria is still common across Papua New Guinea. The World Health Organization estimated that 94% of the population was at high risk of contracting the disease. In endemic areas of the country, according to the country’s National Malaria Strategic Plan 2021-2025, malaria is the second most frequent cause of health facility admissions, as well as the most common outpatient diagnosis.
Working for Rotarians Against Malaria as one of the twelve Regional Malaria Coordinators in the country, Naomi is responsible for ensuring health centres in Morobe Province have the tools and knowledge needed to prevent and treat malaria. Many of these centres are in remote areas inaccessible by car. Still, Naomi and her team regularly visit these health centres to ensure a steady supply of malaria testing and treatment options. They also conduct refresher malaria training for health centre staff as needed.
Naomi said that over the past five years, she has seen gradual improvements in their work. Improved communication with remote clinics through tools like WhatsApp has allowed for more real-time updates and notifications. Additionally, her team is better able to predict potential crises and act accordingly.
“Over the past few years, steady improvements in real-time malaria data collection and reporting systems have helped ensure that we are better equipped to address malaria outbreaks and emergency response situations. By increasing investments in our health systems and working together, we can end malaria.”
While she finds the work challenging at times, Naomi says she is proud of the improvements in health she and her team have made in Morobe. She hopes more young people in Papua New Guinea will see the importance of protecting their communities against malaria and will join their efforts to end this deadly disease.
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