ENVIRONMENTAL & SAFETY FEE

An Industry Support Fee

The Environmental & Safety Fee has been established for two primary purposes:

To ensure the continued availability of a hyperbaric recompression facility in Papua New Guinea, help fund operating costs, training programs and to treat Papua New Guinean divers.

To sustain and expand the capacity of the PNG Divers Association to participate in a range of programs and activities in support of ensuring implementation of the Environmental Code of Ethics, and the protection and management of Papua New Guinea’s unique marine bio-diversity.

The E&S Fee is US$3 (US$5 in 2009) per diver per day. The E&S Fee is NOT an insurance but rather an industry support fee.

Hyperbaric Health Australia (HHA) operates a Twin Lock unit to international guidelines. This facility is centrally located at Port Moresby Medical Services, with easy access to the country’s major dive locations.
Port Moresby Medical Services is a private hospital with in-patient facilities for continuous patient care. Port Moresby Medical Services also operates a medevac service ensuring prompt delivery of injured divers for immediate hyperbaric treatment. Evacuation with nursing support for injured diver stabilization and oxygen therapy is arranged using pressurized jet aircraft.

As well as PNG, Hyperbaric Health operates chambers in Australia and other locations throughout the Pacific and Asia.

In the event of a diving accident, patients are accepted for treatment and HHA takes responsibility for insurance billing instead of charging directly at the facility. In the absence of any insurance coverage, the patient will be required to provide a guarantee of payment for services, prior to any treatment being conducted.

PNGDA & HHA do not meet evacuation costs, which can be high. For this reason it is strongly recommended that divers in Papua New Guinea hold full medical and evacuation insurance.

The Papua New Guinea Divers Association thanks you for your support of the Environmental & Safety Fee.