Volunteers get training to assist expectant women

EIGHTEEN women from Tambul-Nebilyer, Western Highlands, graduated as village health volunteers (VHV) to help expectant women in their respective villages.
The women underwent four weeks of intensive training on how to help mothers in labour and taking them to the health facility to deliver their babies.
The training ended on Monday with a presentation of certificates, handbags, wool caps, jackets, gum boots, umbrellas, solar torches and mobile phones on CUG (closed user group) to help them carry out their work effectively.
This brought the total number of VHV trained by the Western Highlands health authority to 56 this year.
Two similar courses were conducted – one in January and another in May.
The training was funded and conducted by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) in its effort to help reduce child mortality in the country.
Clinical trainers from the Western Highlands health authority (WHPA) conducted trainings at the Mt Hagen hospital campus.
The practical sessions included among others, visits to the labour ward’s early essential new born care section, special care nursery, maternal and child health clinic and family planning.
Mt Hagen Hospital senior medical officer in obstetrics and gynaecology Dr Joseph Kuk told the graduating women that their work would not be effective without the support of their husbands and fathers of the babies.
He also urged facility officers in charge, ward councillors, presidents, the district chief executives and other community leaders to support the VHVs in their work.
“We need to work in partnership in order to help our pregnant mothers to deliver safely,” he said.