Page 25 - IB August 2020

COVID-19 COVID-19

focus on females) who can jumpstart remittance earnings It would also be of immense benefit to the Pacific Islands in
which have plummeted in the last three months. having a soundly-trained group of nurses capable of treat-
• Groups of nurses to assist with the COVID-10 crisis in Vic- ing any COVID-19 outbreak in their home country when they
toria. return, with hopefully some earnings also, to boost the local
I suggest that the following minimum essential components Pacific economies and fight an future pandemic.
must all be in place in the CFZs: Note that Australia has already devoted hundreds of millions
• Creation of a physical CFZ, preferably islands or any area in developing military and defense cooperation with some
that can be geographically isolated, such as an existing Pacific countries such as Fiji and PNG.
tourism facility next to the international airport, staffed I suggest that an enlightened Australia should also consider
by a cadre of disciplined and well-trained quarantined developing a “Rapid Deployment Health Force” comprising
service workers. Pacific nurses (and doctors) who could “wage war” on health
• Reliable security personnel consisting of local forces pandemics such as COVID-19, should it ever emerge seriously
beefed up with Australian personnel. in the Pacific countries, or within Australian and NZ itself.
• Reliable testing facilities and personnel for COVID-19, Such health cooperation would do far more to strengthen
staffed by local and Australian personnel. the Pacific vuvale than any military cooperation could, given
• Suitable accommodation and other services available to that history has already proven that fickle money-grubbing
quarantine the travelers for the 14 days required, for Pacific leaders will turn to whichever superpower provides
either release into the PIC or onward travel to Australia. more dollars for military aid or parliament houses or football
• All services on CFZ to be strictly controlled with social stadiums.
distancing regulations. On the other hand, no callow political leader in the Pacific
• Costs to be borne by benefiting parties, the PICs and Aus- can shake the people-to-people real vuvale links between PICs
tralia (and other donors who wish to avail themselves of and Australia that have been building for decades through
the facilities). emigration, health and education.
If Australian and NZ authorities feel confident about the Australian and NZ governments might want to refocus some
integrity of the Pacific Island CFZs there would be no need for of their aid dollars on their tertiary educational institutions
two week quarantining in Australia or NZ. such as at James Cook University (specialising in Tropic Medi-
This does not have to be a grand scheme, but a “testing cine), Queensland University of Technology and University of
initiative” to see if this level of co-operation can be set up Queensland, to help them build up and accredit the training
between Australia/NZ and PICs. programs at PIC medical training schools.
Given the usual lethargy of PIC governments and civil
servants, I would suggest that private sector interests, could The Pacific and COVID-19
take the lead in formulating, driving and implementing such Most Pacific Islands have so far been spared any widespread
schemes. I can imagine any number of hotels in PICs which infections. But the recent experience of Victoria should re-
could be the catalysts for such a project. move all complacency from PIC governments, especially when
we remember our large family sizes and the close proximity of
PIC health aid to Australia houses in towns and villages.
Many PICs have excellent nurse training schools, some which The PICs also do not have a social welfare system that can
have been assisted by Australian aid in the past. take care of unemployed workers who have lost their jobs and
There are hundreds of Pacific nurses whose qualifications incomes.
would be acceptable in Australian hospitals. Victoria is cur- If the COVID-19 takes hold through even one case, the
rently struggling to provide health care workers to cope with spread would be far more rapid and more devastating than in
the burgeoning number of cases flooding their hospitals. Australia, which has faced great difficulty in enforcing social
Pacific countries might wish to consider sending small distancing.
groups of experienced Pacific nurses, to Australia, to work PICs would be better prepared for the COVID-19 if small
under close supervision in hospitals around Australia, in order batches of nurses have been trained in Australian best-prac-
to relieve Australian nurses, to assist in the COVID-19 crisis in tice.
Victoria. I have no doubt that Australia, which already has a strong
I emphasise that the Pacific nurses should not be working record in helping the Pacific after disasters like tropical
with COVID-19 cases, as there is a very large percentage of cyclone Winston or civil unrest as in Solomon Islands, could
health care workers who have already contracted the virus, easily also develop a scheme to ensure that returning PIC
despite all precautions. No Pacific country would want in- nurses have adequate equipment and medical supplies (such
fected nurses returning to their home countries. as testing kits) to cope with any upsurge of the virus in PICs
But getting a small number of Pacific nurses to Australia for themselves.
training with the best equipment and procedures (of course Pacific people would far more appreciate the assistance in
after stringent testing in their home countries to ensure that health than military matters which have come and gone over
they are free of the virus), could be of great use to Australia the years, with no creation of a genuine Pacific vuvale.
should COVID-19 reach crisis levels here.

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