Tonga’s flight diversion delays medical supplies [1]
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 - 23:03. Updated on Wednesday, April 1, 2020 - 23:11.
By Pesi Fonua
Tonga’s two weeks isolation from 23 March, in an effort to stop the CoViD-19 from entering the country, is buying time for Health authorities to prepare for a possible influx of the virus when borders re-open. But there are mixed reactions from the community while Tonga remains in isolation from the world.
Added to the isolation is a week-long national lockdown that came into force at 1:00am on Saturday, 29 March, to run until 1:00am on 5 April. So far, no cases of CoViD-19 have been detected in Tonga.
At this initial stage, the lockdown with the diversion of the international and domestic air services, and interuption in the inter-islands sea services, has become a controversial issue.
The public fully accepted the effort under the Public Health Emergency declaration, in order to safeguard Tonga from the spread of CoViD-19. But bearing in mind that there are more Tongans living overseas than here in Tonga, the diversion of all international airlines that serviced Tonga, (Air New Zealand, Virgin Blue, Fiji Air and Talofa Airways), has impacted very many people in the community.
Over the last few days more issues are arising. While Tongans working overseas on short term visas need to return home, there are also foreigners who are stuck in Tonga, wondering how they are going to return to their home countries.
Serious issue
But today, the most serious issue is the question of how is Tonga going to acquire essential medical equipment and medical clothing, and to get the testing equipment it needs before the lockdown can be lifted?
Tonga does not have enough medical equipment and personal protective clothing for health workers to fight the virus, and the borders cannot open while the health service remains unprotected.
As these issues have emerged during the past few days, there have been mixed reactions from government and officials.
Supplies from China
Yesterday, March 31, the Prime Minister, Hon. Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa announced on local radio that government had decided not to allow an aircraft, carrying medical supplies from China to land at Tonga’s Fua’amotu International Airport.
But at the same time, a Charter Aircraft landed at Fua’amotu Airport to take four passengers to the USA yesterday. Two more charter flights are expected to arrive at Fua’amotu on Friday to take more passengers to the USA. Meanwhile, a negotiation is underway for a charter aircraft to take passengers to Japan.
Personal Protective Equipment
A spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in Nuku'alofa told Matangi Tonga this afternoon that China has donated two batches of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Tonga. Each batch contains 500 sets of N95 masks, gowns, goggles and 100 thermometers. The first batch was handed over to DHL Express to deliver to Tonga.
The embassy spokesperson said that there is a second batch of PPEs for Pacific island countries and they had called on all Chinese Friendship Associations and provincial government to contribute to this.
He said that a charter flight by Air Tahiti Nui was coordinated by the Pacific China Friendship Association and its Patroness is HRH Princess Pilolevu Tuita.
The Tahitian Government and the association offered the Chinese Government the spare cargo space on the charter flight to help some of the island countries, including Tonga.
However, according to the Prime Minister, the flight will not be allowed to land here and so Tonga’s share of the second batch of PPEs from China will have to be shipped over to Tonga from Fiji.
More time
Tonga's CEO of Health Dr Siale 'Akau'ola on March 30 said two weeks isolation is not long enough and Tonga needs more time to put into place its strategy to counter the influx of the CoViD-19 virus.
Quarantine places are being organised and a separate laboratory area is being built at Vaiola for testing.
The Declaration of a Public Health Emergency Order gives the Ministry of Health more power in imposing conditions such as stopping mass and social gatherings, such as drinking kava clubs. It is effective between 12 March and 12 June, and applies to all land and sea areas of Tonga. This means the general public is to “cooperate, assist and adhere” to all the Ministry of Health’s instructions and plans to prepare, prevent and respond to the threat of CoViD-19.