United Nations sees PNG’s population growth a problem

The National Main Stories

THE high rate of population growth in Papua New Guinea is deemed to be a problem in terms of health since there are insufficient basic health services for the rising population.
According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative Koffi Kouame, the population growth rate for PNG was 3.1 per cent, which was high and many people would be deprived of basic healthcare.
As part of partnering in bringing development to the communities, UNFPA donated US$700,000 (K2.3 million) worth of health commodities and medical equipment to the National Department of Health to help improve family planning and reduce maternal health problems and HIV and AIDS.
“The donations falls under
UNFPA’s support to the PNG Government in its efforts to provide healthcare to the citizens,” Kouame said.
“We cannot control population growth because everyone has a choice whether to have children or not, but we want to make sure they know the different methods of family planning so that they may choose wisely.
“We are also working with the government to make sure everyone is cared for.”
Kouame said the donation was in line with the overall United Nations development assistances to PNG to ensure “no one is left behind” in exercising their reproductive rights and choices.
“UNFPA will continue partnering with the government under the UN development assistance framework and ensure that all women and girls have access to quality family planning, safe birth and infection-free from sexual transmitted infections and HIV to enjoy their reproductive rights,” he said.
The commodities and medical equipment include:

  • 6.1 million male condoms;
  • 500,000 female condoms;
  • 5000 injectable sayana press;
  • 9949 intra uterine device (IUD);
  • 30,000 levoplant implants;
  • 350 bib-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) kits;
  • 20 delivery beds;
  • 20 delivery lights; and
  • One manual vacuum extractor.

National health standard services deputy secretary Dr Paision Dakulala thanked the United Nations Population Fund for its continuous support to the country when receiving the products on behalf of the Health Department.
Dakulala said the department had been struggling to provide for “the growing population and this donation would be of great help”.
He said that the products would help in the choices that people made in their everyday lives, especially with condoms.
Dakulala said the donations were timely and would be distributed to all provinces.