More space for mums

By ABIGAIL APINA
AN East New Britain businesswoman has contributed K30,000 to help extend the Mother and Child Health Centre at the St Mary’s Vunapope Hospital in Kokopo.
Tropicana Ltd general mana­ger Sandra Lau said the extension would allow mothers more space and a comfortable area to sit while waiting to be seen.
The extension, which includes a new television screen so mums can watch health videos, was opened on Tuesday.
Lau said she was touched by the needs of the hospital when its management approached her seeking assistance.
“Today it is fully and beautifully completed for pregnant mothers to comfortably receive services here.
“I believe when we serve and provide for women in this country, we help them to be strong,” Lau said at the opening.
“It is important to remember that strong women give birth to a strong nation.”
She said women should receive better services as they were the foundation of their families and played an active role in building the future of the nation.
Nearly 100 expecting mothers at the opening were urged to take care of their health seriously
and adopt healthy habits in daily life.
Statistics from the health centre showed that 300 women visited the clinic monthly for their first antenatal clinic on Mondays and Tuesday visits totalled 800 monthly.
Nurses at the centre said the new extension would go a long way to serving many more mothers as it now provided more comfort.
While thanking Lau for her financial assistance, the nurses called on the government to increase staffing at the hospital as work load was pretty heavy
and it was expected to get heavier.
They said the centre was badly in need of two more midwives, a family planning officer, two additional nurses and a health educator to help train students.
They also called on the government to help improve other health centres in the province to help mothers.
Statistics show that PNG continued to have one of the worst records of deaths of mothers at birth time.