The New Zealand government has “promised” to pay the Covid-19 medical examination expenses Tongans stranded in the country have to financially bear before leaving for the kingdom in three weeks time.
The Prime Minister of Tonga Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa has made the revelation in Parliament and said Tongans in New Zealand found it difficult to pay the more than NZ$300 for a person’s Covid-19 test if they wanted to return to the kingdom.
He said he has asked Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during a phone call to consider the medical costs.
Responding, PM Ardern told him she will look at it before contacting her High Commissioner in Tonga about the payments, Tu’i’onetoa said.
Meanwhile, about 1,000 Tongans stranded overseas who want to fly home have registered online for repatriation.
Only Tongan passport holders, valid residency visa holders, valid working visa holders, and international travellers as approved by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be boarded on the flights and granted entry into Tonga.
All travellers are required to have undertaken a COVID-19 test and a Medical Report done within three days before arriving in Tonga
Yesterday a mock repatriation drill held in Tongatapu as part of the government’s endeavour to ensure its staff are well prepared to handle the arrival of its repatriated citizens.
The drill exercise which involved teams from health, law enforcement sectors and hotel staff was described as successful.
CEO for Health Dr. Siale ‘Akau’ola was reported as saying the objectives of the drill were to “ensure that all the logistics and coordination processes are properly in place, and that all officials involved fully understand their respective roles and responsibilities and to also identify gaps in the process.”
