VILLAGE BIRTH ATTENDANTS - The Protectors of Rural Economy in PNG
By Sylvester Gawi:
The inception of Village Birth Attendants (VBA) since 1995 in Papua New Guinea to help reduce the infant mortality and morbidity rates in rural areas.
I read with great interest in The National newspaper dated Tuesday 13th December 2016 about VBAs in Mumeng, Morobe province helping in child birth.
32 VBAs have delivered 448 babies in two years since 2014 in areas where there is no aid post or presence of trained health workers.
In acknowledging their efforts, the Bulolo District budgeted K13 000 and paid each of the VBA's K382 in annual allowances.
Nursing Officer Rose Bosimbi says despite having village birth houses, the attendants and relatives of the pregnant women ensure they are taken to the nearest health facilities to avoid critical issues and birth complications during child birth.
In an article by the ABC News online http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-29/png's-plan-to-ban-home-births-to-reduce-deaths/8074838?pfmredir=sm
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister is proposing drastic measures to reduce the country's shockingly high maternal and infant mortality rates.
Peter O'Neill's plan is to ban home births and he has said to make it compulsory for a woman to give birth in a clinic or a hospital.
"There will be no excuses for mothers trying to give birth in remote areas."
Roughly 1,500 women die in childbirth every year in PNG, and infant mortality rates are similarly high — 45 babies out of every 1,000 die.
What the Prime Minister is saying is that the government would fund mothers to come from villages and stay in urban areas to have babies and then return. That is to control the high number of infant mortality rates in PNG.
But the ABC report has also revealed that lack of funding for for health staff and facilities is the real issue.
Professor Glen Mola, head of obstetrics at the University of Papua New Guinea, said the main problem was a lack of funding for health staff and facilities.
"If we've got the money, let's see it please… we desperately need it," he said.
"We don't even have gloves in the Port Moresby General Hospital National Referral Hospital, to put on to deliver women sometimes these days."
Mr O'Neill said he would be announcing more details about the policy in the coming weeks, and plans to introduce the law to Parliament in January.
The inception of Village Birth Attendants (VBA) since 1995 in Papua New Guinea to help reduce the infant mortality and morbidity rates in rural areas.
I read with great interest in The National newspaper dated Tuesday 13th December 2016 about VBAs in Mumeng, Morobe province helping in child birth.
32 VBAs have delivered 448 babies in two years since 2014 in areas where there is no aid post or presence of trained health workers.
In acknowledging their efforts, the Bulolo District budgeted K13 000 and paid each of the VBA's K382 in annual allowances.
Nursing Officer Rose Bosimbi says despite having village birth houses, the attendants and relatives of the pregnant women ensure they are taken to the nearest health facilities to avoid critical issues and birth complications during child birth.
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| Picture courtesy of http://www.sendhope.org/media |
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister is proposing drastic measures to reduce the country's shockingly high maternal and infant mortality rates.
Peter O'Neill's plan is to ban home births and he has said to make it compulsory for a woman to give birth in a clinic or a hospital.
"There will be no excuses for mothers trying to give birth in remote areas."
Roughly 1,500 women die in childbirth every year in PNG, and infant mortality rates are similarly high — 45 babies out of every 1,000 die.
What the Prime Minister is saying is that the government would fund mothers to come from villages and stay in urban areas to have babies and then return. That is to control the high number of infant mortality rates in PNG.
But the ABC report has also revealed that lack of funding for for health staff and facilities is the real issue.
Professor Glen Mola, head of obstetrics at the University of Papua New Guinea, said the main problem was a lack of funding for health staff and facilities.
"If we've got the money, let's see it please… we desperately need it," he said.
"We don't even have gloves in the Port Moresby General Hospital National Referral Hospital, to put on to deliver women sometimes these days."
Mr O'Neill said he would be announcing more details about the policy in the coming weeks, and plans to introduce the law to Parliament in January.
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