Chopper flight saves pregnant teen with birth difficulties

By DOROTHY MARK
A PREGNANT teenager was evacuated by helicopter from a remote village in Madang after experiencing birth complications.
Fredlyn Freddy, 18, is from a remote village in Josephstaal, Middle Ramu.
Josephstaal health centre officer in charge Patrick Angrai said Freddy was still a small girl and that made giving birth naturally difficult.
Freddy was taken from her village to the Josephstaal health centre last Friday hoping to give birth easily like any other normal woman.
Angrai said they discovered the complication after her water broke on Saturday.
“She could have delivered on Easter Sunday. If it was a baby girl, we wanted to name her Esther,” Angrai said.
Angrai informed the provincial health officer of the problem and a medical evacuation was arranged.
The helicopter arrived at the Modilon Hospital in Madang at 7.30am yesterday.
She was immediately taken to the labour ward.
Angrai said Freddy became pregnant after leaving home to continue her education in Bogia when the Josephstaal Primary School closed last year.
He said Freddy was forced into a relationship and became pregnant.
He called on the Madang provincial government to restore government services in Josephstaal and open schools so that girls such as Freddy do not have to leave home to complete their education elsewhere.