Twenty-five locals from the districts of Bulolo and Wau-Waria, in Morobe Province, have recently been certified as Village Health Assistants (VHAs).
The participants underwent a four-week Village Health Assistant (VHA) Training Program, supported by Hidden Valley Mine.
The training was led by four expert trainers from the Morobe Provincial Health Authority (MoPHA) and Bulolo District Health.
Wau-Waria District Administrator, John Orebut, expressed gratitude for the initiative and plans to provide additional support to the previous Village Birth Attendants (VBAs) and the newly trained VHAs.
Highlighting the importance of effective Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the VHAs’ activities in the communities, Orebut stressed the critical role that systematic assessment and scrutiny plays in ensuring the success and impact of the VHAs endeavours.
“There is a need to closely monitor and evaluate the VHAs’ initiatives to gauge their effectiveness, address challenges and continually improve the quality of healthcare services provided to the community.
“It reflects a commitment to accountability, transparency and the overall success of health-related programs within the communities served by the VHAs.”
District Health Manager, Logan Yakam, alongside his team, also expressed satisfaction with the program’s outcome.
“We are gratified by the positive outcomes of the program and look forward to ongoing collaboration with the Volunteer Health Assistants, fostering a healthier and more resilient community together,” added Yakam.
The certified VHAs, now officially recognised, are well-positioned to play a vital role in improving healthcare accessibility within their respective communities.
The VHAs were from the landowner communities in Bulolo district, Kaindi, and the seven Biangai Villages from Wau-Waria district.