Christmas twins back home with new family

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
TWIN baby girls Nyla and Tahira Mark, born on Christmas Day in a remote village in Morobe but were flown to a Lae hospital when their mother died a day later, have returned home.
Their mother Rose Simai, 21, had given birth to them at the remote Mama village in the Wampar local government of Huon Gulf, before she died the next day.
The girls were flown to the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae for observation accompanied by their aunt Molina Mark.
Molina, 30, thanked the Manalos Aviation medevac operation team for saving the twins.
“When we lost their mother, we were really worried about the babies,” she said.
“We were right inside the bush, but the team still flew there.
“There are no aid posts or health centres nearby.
“We have one aidpost at Siara village which is about a two-hour walk for women.
“When it is closed, we walk for two days to reach the Wampar Health Centre.
“Given the distance, all pregnant women give birth in the village.
“When a woman is ready to deliver, men build huts made of Kunai grass for the woman to prepare herself.
“In most cases, the baby dies after birth.”
Molina herself gave birth in the village seven months ago.
She and her husband are adopting the twin girls.
The father of the twins Simai Forenuka, 32, is happy with the arrangement.
Molina said because of the remoteness of the village, and the death of Rose, it was the best they could do for the twins.