Returning to Noumea (New Caledonia) from her preliminary trip to Papua New Guinea, the foundress of Ocean Vacci Tour Ms Marine Bayer is pleased to report very encouraging and positive feedback ahead of the first humanitarian mission to be held in September / October of this year.
June 28, 2022: During the fifteen days of her visit, Marine facilitated a multitude of meetings with particularly the health authorities, NIPHA, UNICEF and ADI.However, she also initiated meetings with the representative of New Caledonia in PNG, Mr. Alexandre Lafargue and Mr. Ambassador of France at Port Moresby, Guillaume Lemoine.
After many meetings and intensive learning about New Ireland, the mission scheduled for this September and October has been adjusted slightly.
Hence, the mission in PNG will begin in the islands of Lehir, Tanga and Babase, with the use of banana boats, which will allow us to sail upriver. The vaccines on our program include measles, rubella, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, whooping cough and hemophilus.
”The Vaka Motu (seafaring canoe) originally planned for this mission is not suitable because its motorisation system is very weak. We have had to adapt the means of transportation for this mission in order to enable us to navigate upriver as necessary,” reports Ms Bayer. ”This is why it’s been invaluable to go on-site, as I’ve been able to see first hand the specifics of the area” she added.
Secondly, the local authorities also hav requested vaccine coverage throughout the south-east and south-west of New Ireland.
”These extremely isolated and much windier areas are very rarely visited by local medical teams. Following this specific request and after my return to Nouméa at the end of last week, we are studying the possibility of bringing in and using a cruising catamaran from Nouméa,” continues the President.
Growing interest in Aidocean
The interest for the Mission in PNG has grown in France and New Caledonia but also locally in Papua New Guinea.
The preliminary trip allowed for contact to be established with several companies from PNG. This gave them the opportunity to discover the Aidocean project and get involved in this first humanitarian mission. In addition, many discussions are underway with partners in mainland France who also wish to join the Aidocean project.
“It is very gratifying these companies interested in our main objective, which is to offer childhood vaccines to isolated tribes in the Pacific in order to reduce the risk of local epidemics and child mortality rates,” concludes Marine Bayer.
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