The Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) is disseminating information on health protocols to prevent COVID-19 infections during the National Sports Week (PON) XX in Papua province.

“People will be enthusiastic to watch PON. But they have to wear a mask, if not, they cannot enter the field,” Mimika district BPBD’s secretary Sem Naroba said at a webinar that was observed from here on Thursday.

“This is where we can encourage the public to properly wear a mask and to maintain discipline,” he added.

During the webinar titled ‘Torang Bisa! Obey Health Protocol, 2021 Papua PON XX Successfully Held’, Naroba explained that information dissemination is being done through synergy with various institutions such as the police, the military, and the Communication and Informatics Ministry.

The dissemination activity includes campaigning the 3Ms — masking, washing hands after performing activities, and maintaining distance, he added.

To improve public compliance with health protocols, the government is also sending out workers who are traveling to the match arenas and providing masks to citizens during the PON, he said.

Meanwhile, an official from Jayapura district’s BPBD, Alpius Toam, said that the regional government has recruited volunteers to distribute masks to citizens in PON XX arenas.

“At every match location, there are volunteers who have been appointed, recruited, and they have been tasked to distribute masks in every place where matches are currently happening,” he elaborated.

According to Toam, masks are being distributed every day at the health protocol application monitoring posts located in PON arenas and in community hubs in Jayapura district.

Indigenous people and caretakers of prayer venues are also helping the regional government in campaigning the application of health protocols to stem the spread of COVID-19, he said.

He expressed the hope that Papuan people will observe the health protocols well after the PON XX is over.

Source: Antara News