Family planning an effective way to reduce maternal deaths

By ELIAS LARI
PAPUA New Guinea is experiencing more than 2,000 maternal deaths each year and family planning is considered one of the most cost-effective interventions to improve maternal health, Marie Stopes says.
A leading provider of family planning and sexual and reproductive health services in the country, Marie Stopes, said more than 2,000 maternal deaths occurred in the country, with almost a million women at risk of unplanned or unwanted pregnancy.
Research has shown that 30 per cent of married women want to avoid pregnancy but are not using contraceptives, the health agency said.
Earlier this year, the then Minister of Health, Sir PukaTemu, declared maternal health mortality a state of emergency, aiming to reduce the rate of deaths.
“Family planning is widely considered as one of the most cost-effective interventions to improve maternal health and promote sustainable population growth in PNG,” Marie Stopes said.
Marie Stopes country director Dr David Ayres said that most of the issues took place in the Highlands and they had started increasing family planning clinics in the region.
He said clinics had been held starting at Enga, Western Highlands and Jiwaka.
Ayres said with the increasing number of clinics in the Highlands, people would start to play their own responsibility in taking care of their own lives.
“From May 8 to 10, Marie Stopes will substantially increase its presence in the Highlands region with extra family planning clinics in Western Highlands, Jiwaka, and Enga,” he said.
“We know that many of the pressing family planning needs are in the Highlands region and during a normal week, we have 8 to 10 clinicians working to deliver services across the region.”
Ayres said that during three days, Marie Stopes would have more than 20 clinicians across the region and expected to serve about 300 people.
He said Marie Stopes was a partner of the government in delivering family planning services, and acknowledges the valuable support of the Australian government in delivering services.
“The aim is to work hard and reduce the number of the maternal deaths in the country,” Ayres said.
Ayres said that this was one of the serious issues in the country and more attention would be given.
Marie Stopes health programmes director Liesel Seehofer said the availability of
family planning service saved lives.
“Once women have access to these services, children and families are healthier, and society at large benefits.”