The Buhalu Health Centre in Bukawa at Lae, Morobe Province received much needed medical equipment thanks to the PNG Rural Communities Development Initiatives Foundation.
The foundation was established to assist rural communities in the areas of health and literacy.
In the areas of health, the foundation targets traditional birthing attendants in equipping them with basic birthing materials to assist women in rural communities when giving birth.
As for literacy, the foundation targets rural children, elementary and primary school children with basic reading materials.
The medical equipment along with baby packs for newborn babies were donated during the Christmas period by founder Martha Sandy who comes from the area.
The equipment included various items such as blood pressure machine, blood glucose meters, stethoscope, otoscope, packs of wound dressings and saline.
The baby packs had various baby items such as blankets, face towels, baby clothes, diapers, baby oil, shampoo, lotion and bath gel.
During the handover of the items, the traditional birthing attendants, health centre chairman and village leaders were very overwhelmed and thankful for the donations.
Founder Sandy said that she came up with the initiative after seeing and hearing stories of traditional midwives helping women in their communities.
She was also inspired after seeing her family members not motivated to continue their education.
“This initiative aims to bring hope to rural children to strive to do better and motivate and recognize our traditional birthing attendants to do better in what they do.
“They’re heroes themselves who are not been recognized in using their skills to save a life of a mother and a baby,” Sandy said.
The foundation aims to extend its work to other rural communities as well.