Wosera Site Profile

Initital Setup of the Site

The PNGIMR maintains an extensive field base in Maprik, 15 km north of the Wosera DSS, as well as two field station within the HDSS. the Maprik base contains the entire HDSS administration a laboratory building, offices with phone, fax and internet connections as well as housing for visiting scientist and local IMR staff. In total the IMR employs over 100 staff at Maprik. In the vicinity of the two health centres within the Wosera HDSS, Kunjigini and Kaugia, the IMR has built basic field laboratories and accommodation for visiting scientist and local IMR staff.

Staff

Demographic reporters and supervisors were chosen from the local population and reside in their respective villages. In the last few years the surveillance area has been considerably extended and now there are total of 29 study villages with over 14,000 people within the scope of the surveillance.

Village Settings

The Village population size varies from 200 to over 1000. Traditional Wosera houses consist of a timber frame (invented V shape) covered with sago roofs that reach the ground. However, more recently, houses with elevated floors, corrugated iron roofing, and walls of split bamboo or sago stems.