Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH) is one of the vital health components in most rural communities and a common challenge amongst many pregnant mothers in Papua New Guinea.
Boroi village, in Yawar Local Level government (LLG) in the Bogia District of Madang Province is five hours’ drive away from Madang town and is one of the rural communities’ that is attempting to combat such challenges. Transport and distance to the nearest health centre is also a big issue faced by the community.
“Mothers who want to give birth sometimes die, because there is no proper health facility and the nearest health centre is very far from here,” said Micah Rait, Ward 3 Village Counsellor and Chairman of the Village Health Committee during the opening of the Boroi Aid Post last Wednesday.
Pregnant mothers in this village and nearby communities have in the past used unsafe traditional method of giving birth, which risk their health, their life and that of the newborn child. These unsafe methods used to deliver babies using home-made traditional tools and unsterilised medical equipment, resulted in mothers having maternal health problems such as cervical cancer and unhealthy children. Mothers and babies also died during delivery.
Through World Vision’s MNCH Project activities and intervention, the community now understands the importance of Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH).
The project is funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) through its Sustainable Development Fund (SDF), now the New Zealand Partnerships for International Development Fund (Partnerships Fund) and will benefit 7, 529 people within four years of life span. The project targets 10 communities in Bogia District with the aim of improving the health and nutrition status of families, but most notably mothers, newborn and children.
“The project is in its last phase of implementation and has worked closely with partners from Bogia District Health Administration, Bogia District Health Facilities and the community to ensure mothers and newborn children have access to basic health services,” said Manu Peter, MNCH Project Manager.
One of its major achievements is the reconstruction and maintenance of the Boroi Village Aid Post, which was officially launched and witnessed by more than 500 people from Boroi and nearby villages, staff from World Vision Madang and Country office in Port Moresby a representative from the Office of the Member for Bogia and members of the local media in Madang.
The reconstruction and maintenance of the Aid Post is a great success for the project and the community. Through trainings and workshops, community members are well vested with skills to own the project and lead the community with healthy lifestyle practices. Rural Health Committees or Village Health Committees have been established to advocate for and coordinate health activities. Community Health Resource Persons (CHRPs) were also trained to improve their ability to strengthen the provision and promote health outreach patrols. More than 200 mothers from this community have delivered their babies at the aid post and have attended nutrition programs to nurture their children well in their health and wellbeing.
“World Vision is always up to date; they drive in and drive out of the community anytime; sometimes the officers sleep with us here in the community to do their work,” said Councillor Micah.
“We have seen great things happening in our community, and through trainings by World Vision to become Village Birth Attendant (VBAs), we can now help pregnant mothers give birth here at the aid post as VBAs,” said VBA Josephine Takup.
Through the trainings, identifying high risk pregnant mothers and doing referrals for them is one of the little things that help save a mother and child, and the community appreciates World Vision’s support and time by imparting such skills to the community. It is with these skills, community members are now taking ownership of the project, which is one of the main development links that strengthens development process in terms of sustainability.
The new look aid post is one of the community’s great development successes, and will cater for 7 seven communities in the Ward 3, Yawar LLG of Bogia District and serve over 5, 000 population, especially mothers and children.
The Office of the Member for Bogia John Hickey also contributed K15,000 to the community upon their request for assistance and community fundraising efforts raised K4,000 which was used to build the ablution facility at the maternity wing of the aid post.
The community appreciated World Vision and New Zealand Government for their support in funding with materials and other services that are very helpful to the community. The launching was celebrated with singings, dramas and speeches from respective delegates and the community.
Other projects implemented by World Vision in Boroi include Education, Economic Development and El Nino Preparedness, Response and Recovery Project also funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).