Hela Governor Hon. Philip Aja Undialu has announced a sweeping public health and food security intervention, marked by the arrival of a 40-foot shipping container in Tari carrying 2,200 advanced 28-litre water purifiers alongside a nearly K25 million food relief initiative.

The Hela Provincial Government will systematically distribute up to four purification units to each of the province’s approximately 300 council wards. Specialized allocations are also designated for hospitals, rural health centres, schools, churches, and mission stations. A baseline allocation of four units per ward will produce 112 litres of clean drinking water daily—the equivalent of 187 standard 600ml bottles—significantly mitigating waterborne health risks.

"Clean drinking water must not be a privilege reserved for towns; our villages deserve the same access," Governor Undialu stated. "We cannot continue watching our people consume whatever untreated river and stream water is available without taking practical action. This investment directly addresses public health vulnerabilities across our rural communities."

The deployed purification units utilize a rigorous three-stage filtration system consisting of ceramic, activated carbon, and mineral components to ensure safety and quality.

This decentralized distribution runs in tandem with the province's ongoing critical infrastructure works, where deep borehole drilling operations in Tari, Komo, and Koroba have successfully exceeded 200 metres at each site. While drilling operations are temporarily paused awaiting a supplementary shipment of drilling pipes to replace exhausted supplies, Governor Undialu noted that the purifiers provide an immediate solution to fill the geographic gaps that a centralized 30-location borehole programme cannot instantly reach.

Addressing broader regional hardships, Governor Undialu also unveiled a joint K25 million food assistance programme executed in partnership between the Hela Provincial Government and the province's four District Development Authorities (DDAs). Comprehensive community data collection has been completed and consolidated. Supplier quotations have been secured, and procurement protocols are actively progressing to ensure that rice and essential food supplies directly reach local communities within November 2026.

Governor Undialu issued a strong appeal to ward councillors, church congregations, educators, and local leaders to safeguard the purifiers as communal property. He emphasized that the allocation must be managed with absolute transparency and without discrimination along family, clan, tribal, or political lines.

"Disasters affect everyone, and these facilities are for everyone," Governor Undialu affirmed. "We must learn to share, protect our infrastructure, and look after one another. These parallel water and food initiatives reflect our administration's unyielding commitment to basic services, public health, and long-term community well-being.