MDGs target expected after 2015

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 23rd November 2011

By Sally Tiwari
PAPUA New Guinea is on track to achieve its Millennium Development Goals four and five although it may not necessarily be in 2015.
UNFPA reproductive health adviser, Dr Wame Baravilala, when presenting the 2011 Pacific Regional MDGs tracking report, said PNG was on track but due to its large population, it would likely  achieve the goals much later compared to other small countries.
MDG four targets the reduction of child mortality by two-thirds. MDG five targets the improvement to maternal health and to reduce the maternal mortality rate by three-quarters by 2015.
Baravilala told the Emergency Obstetric and New Born Care  Needs Assessment (EmmONC NA) workshop that the report showed that Polynesian countries were on track
while  Micronesian and
Melanesian countries (including PNG) had mixed results so far.
He said the main driving force keeping PNG on track was the overseas development assistance.
The workshop aims to introduce the concept of emergency obstetric and new-born care needs assessment to PNG, which has been used in many countries and has proved to help reduce maternal mortality.
Assistant clinical professor Dr Koyejo Oyerinde  said there were about 2.6 million still births per year of which, about 19% to 34%  could have been avoided if the EmmONC NA concept was used.
“EmmONC NA is an evidence-based package of interventions that can save the lives of mothers and newborns if appropriately delivered to those in need,” he said.