Labour ward lacking dignity and respect

Mothers have complained about the abusive treatment they get when at Port Moresby General Hospital’s labour ward.
The general concensus is that the midwives and nurses – and even doctors – are rude, offensive and hostile.
I want to share my experience when I was there to deliver in 2004 and 2007.
On both those occasions the obstetrician in charge was Dr Samuel Maima. He was courteous, decent, respectful, admirable, assertive, and honourable in his approach to the mothers in labour. He even asked the midwives and nurses to respect women who are in labour and treat them with dignity and respect.
Ten years on and mothers are still complaining about the service at the PMGH labour ward.
For a big hospital like PMGH, we need dedicated, sincere, hardworking, decent, assertive and courteous doctors like Dr Samuel Maima.
While nurses and midwives may be under pressure because of the workload, that still does not give them the right to be disrespectful to mothers.

Ruth Kopil
Minz Jiwaka