PNG is among the list of countries facing a critical need for doctors and health workers.
In remote communities, this situation is worse. Hence, the need for international partners’ intervention.
In Eastern Highlands Province, a partnership between the provincial government, UNICEF and a local NGO has engaged volunteers in remote areas.
These volunteers, called village birth attendants (VBA), specifically deal with mothers and babies.
Their efforts aim to avoid deaths, which is high among these population.
VBAs undergo training with the Australia College of Neonatal nurses on essential care. And each is equipped with emergency delivery kits and neonatal kits, should there be an emergency before reaching a health facility.
Equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence, these volunteers provide care through home visits and do referrals to health centres as required.
VBAs also conduct maternal and neonatal home visits from birth to one month, supported by paraprofessional neonatal trainers and a midwife, provided by the UOG midwife school and the provincial health authority.
Furthermore, VBAs do community engagement, education and health promotion on maternal & neonatal care and referral.
The involvement of these 138 trained VBAs in the district to date has seen an increase in skilled care for these rural mothers and babies in 2017, compared to 2016.
It has also resulted in mothers’ awareness on Kangaroo Mother Care, importance of breast-feeding, telling danger signs in their babies and knowing their health hygiene.
Touching the Untouchable (TTU), the NGO supervising the VBAs, says it will be more focused on the community this year.
This community model is under the Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC) program UNICEF rolled out through 11 provinces in 2015, funded by DFAT.