Build more health centres, UN urges

 INFANT and maternal mortality are big problems for Papua New Guinea, according to the World Health Organisation.

WHO representative Dr Pieter Van Maaren told The National in Port Moresby yesterday that a survey was needed to be conducted in PNG in order for the WHO to give exact figures of how many mothers who were dying at child birth.

“For the moment, we believe that the figure of infant mortality is still high and compatible with the high figure that we have from some other countries in Africa,” Van Maaren told The National.

He said later this year and early next year WHO hoped that a survey would be carried out in PNG that would provide number of mothers in PNG who die at child birth. 

“These figures are difficult to get, but with the survey that has been planned, it should give PNG an idea of how many mothers are dying in this area.”

He said women in rural areas were badly affected in infant mortality due to access to health services. 

“I think women in rural areas are more affected because access to health services is limited than those who live in urban centres,” he said.  

“Unline in urban centres women in rural areas travel long distances to get treatment because there is one to two centres to get treatment.”