A crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic can trigger reactions like fear, made worse by a lack of reliable information. This was the scenario that the TB counselling team was faced with in early 2020, as they supported people in Daru who were on TB treatment.

To provide much needed education on COVID-19 in PNG, Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) NGO Burnet Institute's TB counselling team have used their strong relationships with people on TB treatment to share reliable information on COVID-19 and COVID-19  prevention.

Leveraging on their good standing in the community, the counsellors worked with the community, provincial government and other partners to create culturally appropriate educational tools to improve the understanding of COVID-19, promote prevention measures and address common myths and misinformation. The team shared this information in local languages to increase understanding.

Peer Counsellor Iru Tofinga is responsible for supporting people admitted to TB wards in Daru Hospital. She has been including COVID-19 awareness alongside her TB education to patients and their guardians.

The Burnet Institute counselling team also created a Facebook page to counter misinformation on COVID-19 on social media.

After a Facebook post featured Lead Counsellor Allan Kuma getting his COVID-19 vaccine, Allan received messages from health care workers, treatment supporters, teachers and family members from across PNG including questions on vaccine safety.

“I was happy to use this opportunity to discuss their concerns and provide facts about the vaccine,” said Allan. “Hearing the information from someone they know and trust helped clear their minds and some then made the choice to get vaccinated themselves.”

Through a mix of appropriate tools, clear messaging and trust in skilled counsellors, the team is partnering with the community to amplify COVID-19 awareness and vaccine confidence.