Papua New Guinea — humanitarian situation

Papua New Guinea faces compounding climate and health challenges following Tropical Cyclone Maila's impact in April 2026 and ongoing drought conditions affecting multiple provinces. The cyclone affected nearly 300,000 people across PNG and Solomon Islands UNICEF, while drought status persists in the National Capital District with drought alerts continuing in Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, Manus, Southern Highlands, and Western Highlands provinces as of July 2026 (Government of PNG). El Niño conditions are likely to persist through the remainder of the year, with models suggesting a positive Indian Ocean Dipole event may develop, potentially exacerbating drought impacts across affected regions. Climate-related disasters occur against a backdrop of structural vulnerabilities in the broader Pacific context, where approximately 290 million children are exposed to multiple extreme climate hazards UNICEF. Disease surveillance remains active through weekly monitoring systems WHO, though immunization coverage shows significant gaps. Regional estimates indicate many children continue to miss life-saving vaccines, with progress described as uneven following the COVID-19 pandemic WHO. The Western Pacific Region, which includes PNG, is currently not on track to meet global immunization targets for 2030. Emergency communication infrastructure faces critical funding shortfalls, limiting communities' ability to receive timely disaster information. The 2025-2026 cyclone season challenged Pacific communication systems, with communities assessing damage and relief needs following multiple cyclones ANU. Broader climate trends show 2025 was the second warmest year on record for the South-West Pacific, with ocean warming, marine heatwaves, and sea-level rise posing increasing risks to local economies and coastal communities WMO. Ocean acidification continues to harm marine ecosystems upon which many PNG communities depend for livelihoods and food security.