Mother in labour dies on way to hospital

A MOTHER in abour died in a police vehicle while on her way to Goglme Health centre in Gembogl, Chimbu, this week.
Mother of three, Lucy Moro, lost her life inside the Gembogl rural police station 10-seater vehicle as it was crossing Simble bridge some 250m away from the Catholic church-run Goglme Health centre at 4pm last Wednesday.
Her death could be partly blamed on negligence by her immediate relative and husband Umba Markus, who did not make attempts to take her to the health centre which was about 1.5km away.
Six policemen at Gembogl sub-district station were returning from a duty trip to Kundiawa found Moro in labour pains while delivering her fourth child at Duglpagl village.
Gembogl rural police station commander Mandi Wamna condemned the ignorance of vehicle owners in the area who had seen her in pain but had not bothered to help to.
Wamna also slammed the immediate relatives and her husband Markus for ignorance in taking her to the health centre.
“If they had attempted to take her to the health centre earlier, she would not have died but now she has left her three children behind. It is a tragedy,” he said.
Wamna said they offered to help transport Moro to Goglme but she died on the way.
Duglpagl villagers, when contacted, said Lucy fell ill with malaria recently.
Kundiawa-Gembogl district administrator Kepa Pandan called on the people to be alert to assist women and children.
He said the government was putting a lot of money into health to improve poor health indicators, however, sometimes mother and children die due to deliberate negligence.
Pandan calls on the people to exercise common sense in looking after the livelihood of their families.