PNG donates to Victoria's bush fire appeal

A remote Papua New Guinea village has donated money to the Victorian bushfire appeal almost a decade after Victorians came to their aid when a devastating tsunami killed thousands of locals.The small hospital town of Vanimo, in PNG's northwestern Sandaun province, gave 10,000 kina ($A5,567) to the Red Cross Victorian Bush Fire Appeal in a touching gesture of bonds forged through tragedy.The Aitape Tsunami in July 1998 killed more than 2,200 Sandaun villagers and made 10,000 homeless. But it was a medical team from Victoria's Monash Medical Centre, led by Dr Elizabeth Lewis, who were the first to help Vanimo's overstretched hospital.Vanimo Hospital chairman, Kevin Imba presented the cheque to Australia's High Commissioner to PNG, Chris Moraitis on Thursday in a small ceremony at the hospital."We want to pass on our deep thanks for what the people of Victoria have done for the people of Sandaun," Imba said."When we think of Australia we think fondly of Victoria and Victorians, so we offer our heartfelt condolences to those families affected in the recent bushfires."Moraitis said PNG's support of the Victorian Bushfire appeal was "touching"."This is an extraordinarily generous gesture by the board and staff of Vanimo Hospital," he said"You face significant logistical and operational challenges running this hospital here, yet you have found it in your hearts to help the families affected by the bushfires, so this donation is particularly touching," he said.Last week the PNG government gave $2 million to bushfire and flood relief, while locally PNG residents have been collecting money for the Red Cross appeal.More than 200 people died in what is Australia's worst bushfire disaster in history.The fires destroyed homes, towns and forest in southeastern Victoria.

This gesture by the people of PNG is more than touching because these people have less to give than most of the developed countries of the world . It is a truly spectacular thing for them to do.