New plan eyed to save mums, babies

The National National

By LULU MARK
HIGH maternal and newborn mortality in Papua New Guinea is the result of the lack of midwives or skilled birth attendants in health facilities, a report shows.
There were many factors contributed to 2000 women dying annualy during pregnancy or after giving birth which was one of the highest rates in the world, according to the 2019 Maternal and Newborn Health Task Force report.
The report states that PNG had the lowest number of skilled birth attendants and needs 6000 more to meet global standard.
University of PNG Medical School’s Professor Dr Glen Mola said at the Task Force consultative workshop that the training of midwives has increased and 394 new midwives were trained between 2012 and 2015 and “more needs to be done including up skilling of community health workers and nurses around the country”.
Mola said midwifery was included in the health workers’ training curriculum, however, institutions lack the capacity to train enough midwives because of poor support from the government.
“The task force was convened to advise the government on the best way to address the high rates of maternal and newborn deaths,” said Minister for Health Dr Sir Puka Temu.
He was prepared to do all he could to unite the government, the parliament, provincial health authorities, health providers and development partners to fix this situation.
“We must create conversations about it at all levels,” he said.
“The situation which has been the case for far too long is unacceptable and it is time we do things differently.
“No women should die to give life and every baby born is a life we should fight to save,” Sir Puka said.
The World Health Organisation’s regional director for the Western Pacific, Dr Takeshi Kasai, said: “I know there have been efforts in the past to address this issue but without great success.
“Doing things the same way will not give us a different result.”
Dr Kasai said to make progress this time we have to:

  • Define the problem differently to identify intervention points for short, medium and long-term action as opposed to project based approach;
  • Work together as a team;
  • Have good capable people both from NDoH and partners to work on the issue; and
  • Have leadership and political commitment

“I believe we have the political attention and focus we need and I assure the Government of PNG of WHO’s strong support to address this issue,” Kasai said.
Challenges in medicine and equipment supply, availability of infrastructure and Antenatal and Family planning contribute to this.