Echoing the UN Secretary-General, the head of the UN office in Papua New Guinea, Gianluca Rampolla, has appealed to the world's developed countries to support the most vulnerable nations.

Mr. Rampolla warned of the devastating impacts that outbreaks could have on countries such as Papua New Guinea, noting that the landscape could shift rapidly, and dangerously, from a health emergency to a humanitarian disaster.

The UN  is supporting the southwest Pacific nation by providing technical assistance and vital equipment in preparation of a possible COVID-19 outbreak. 

Julia Dean from our office in Canberra spoke to Mr. Rampolla via Skype, and began by asked about the current situation there.