Bank helps Burnet Institute with K250,000

 The Bank of South Pacific has assisted the Burnet Institute’s Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies programme with K250,000 to address the high rate of pregnancy-related deaths. 

BSP general manager (retail) Paul Thornton says the bank recognised health issues faced by women in Papua New Guinea. “Lots of mothers and children are dying each year and we need to find a way to improve on that,” Thornton said.

He said the bank acknowledged the work by the Burnet Institute in the community through the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies programme. 

Burnet Institute director and chief executive officer Professor Brendan Crabb said one of the most significant intractable problems in health was mothers during and around childbirth, and babies during their first few weeks.

“The Burnet Institute with its partners – Health Department, PNG Institute of Medical Research, East New Britain provincial government, University of Papua New Guinea and the health services in ENB) have developed a five-year research programme to address the reason why there are still poor outcomes for mothers and new born babies,” Crabb said.