COVID-19 Vaccination: Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine was launched at Port Moresby General Hospital and will be rolled out via PNG’s national vaccine distribution system for adults 18+ in two doses, with Health Minister Jelta Wong stressing vaccination is voluntary but needs real options. HIV & Poverty Link: A new focus on poverty and unemployment highlights how economic hardship can drive transactional sex, reduce access to health services, and worsen PNG’s HIV crisis. Birth Registration Breakthrough: Mount Hagen General Hospital in Western Highlands began issuing newborn birth certificates through a new Birth Registration Desk, supported by PNG Civil and Identity Registry, the provincial health authority and UNICEF. Health Financing: The NEFC cost of services study has expanded to Milne Bay to strengthen health financing and improve service delivery. Medicine Supply Chain Pressure: Health leaders continue pushing medicine reforms after reports of failures in PNG’s medicine supply chain and provinces reporting patients turned away without drugs. Digital Health & IDs: PNG’s DPI push is moving toward biometric voting pilots and new digital ID applications, with millions still outside the national ID system. School Safety: PNG police condemned rising school fights and violent behaviour in Port Moresby, warning students will be treated as offenders under the law. Regional Security & Training: PNG and Timor-Leste discussed security cooperation for PNG’s 2027 election and a joint scholarship push that could include tropical medicine. Infrastructure for Access: Connect PNG road projects in West Sepik (including Vanimo–Green River and Sepik Highway sections) aim to improve access to services and markets. Community Health Education: The Gamuna Foundation ran a school awareness program covering education, alcohol and drug abuse, law and order, and health and hygiene. Mobile Coverage Gap: A Kira community in the mountains remains without mobile network access, delaying emergency care and cutting families and students off from support.