Health to improve with sea ambulance

By AGNES FIFI UKI
THE Milne Bay health service is now well placed to deliver better health and HIV services, Stuart Schaefer says.
Head of the Australian aid programme, Schaefer said this last Friday when delivering a sea ambulance to the Milne Bay Provincial Authority.
He said this would create greater access to health treatment and services for the citizens of the 160 islands of the maritime province.
He said the health and HIV services included immunisation, antenatal visits, family planning, HIV counselling and testing and primary health care services.
“There have been many challenges facing the PNG health system over many years, resulting in decreased service delivery and declining health indicators,” he said. 
“The sea ambulance will ensure that the islands of Milne Bay have greater access to outreach patrols, mobile health clinics, and emergency retrievals.
“The ambulance mv Hinau Natuna, meaning ‘my mother’s child’ in the Tawala dialect, signifies the commitment the Milne Bay Provincial Authority has to saving mothers from the islands who die during child birth,” provincial health authority chief executive officer Billy Naidi said.
He said mothers from the outer islands died during child birth because they were unable to be transported to the nearest health centre or hospital.
The new sea ambulance started its operation last Friday night and Naidi said it would ensure timely and safe distribution of medical drugs and improve patients transfers from aid posts to health centres and to the Alotau General Hospital.
Schaefer said improving health systems and health and HIV outcomes had been agreed to by Papua New Guinea and Australia as being a key priority for the Australian aid programme.
“In 2011, Australia distributed 16,060 boxes of medical supplies to 706 health centres and 3,000 aid posts – over 95% of all health facilities in PNG,” he said.
“In 2012, Australia will provide K160 million to strengthen PNG’s health system to deliver better health services across the country.”