Maternal illnesses high in Western, meet told

CHILD birth and maternal illnesses remain the most prevalent health issues among the women of Western.
This was revealed by trainers from the Rumginae community health worker training school in North Fly who shared their experiences in dealing with remote communities in the province during a rural airstrip agency (RAA) airstrip maintenance officer training programme this week.
During their interviews with the rural health workers, the trainers highlighted that the main health concerns faced in remote communities in Western were by mothers and women.
They said one out of three women in remote villages visited by health workers suffered from maternal diseases like rubella, urinary tract infections and syphilis.
It was also gleaned that tuberculosis, leprosy and malaria were ravaging villages and remote communities.
Community health worker trainers Philip Hasni and Enick Vero both told of how their students would often return from trips to rural parts of Western with reports of mothers dying during child birth and cases of disorders as a result of childbirth.
Vero said that maternal illnesses were most common in rural Western and it was a major concern as most of the communities facing these medical challenges remains inaccessible.
“The only way we can get to medically challenged communities and save lives is by air.
“That is why we are very supportive of RAA’s work in restoring and maintaining rural airstrips,” Hasni said.
Both men agreed that there was a need to support RAA’s work in order for remote communities to get medical services.