The Australian Government proudly supports the Sexual and Reproductive Health Integration Project (SHRIP) to improve access to high quality sexual and reproductive health services in Papua New Guinea.
Across 11 provinces, the project supports 13 Catholic Church Health Services (CCHS) health facilities to provide community-based counselling, testing, and treatment for people living with HIV and sexual transmitted infections (STI’s).
The project also aims to strengthen systems, service delivery, partnerships, and community engagement. In PNG, church-run health facilities play a significant role in the delivery of healthcare for many people in rural areas.
One such facility is the Mary Mother of Catholic Hope under the Catholic Church Health Services in Buka, Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The clinic is not just a place for treatment but a place of hope.
"We see mothers, children, and entire families come through our doors, often coming from afar. They come because they trust us, and we are here to serve them with dignity and care,” says Sister in Charge Mama Rose.
The clinic serves as a hub for integrating HIV and STI testing and treatment, as well as antenatal care, making it an essential part of the community's health infrastructure.
As part of their services, Mama Rose and her team conduct awareness and outreach activities to educate their communities on the importance of prevention and treatment.
HIV awareness session at Hahela Primary School, Kubu.
Mama Rose says, ''These services are crucial in ensuring that our people, especially women and young people, receive the care they need, when they need it.''
Their work is not done in isolation. They work alongside different partners such as Bougainville Department of Health and National Department of Health and through their support, it enables them to reach the most remote communities through their diocese's satellite clinics, extending the hands of the government.
Thanks to the unwavering dedication of Catholic Church Health Services and the relentless efforts of frontline workers like Mama Rose, the Mary Mother of Hope Clinic is a shining example of how faith-based organisations are crucial in providing essential healthcare in remote regions.
SRHIP is a consortium including the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM), Burnet Institute, Igat Hope with the Catholic Church Health Services leading the implementation. This project is supported through the PNGAus Partnership.
//Ends
Inspection of the medical stock to ensure that the clinic is well stocked.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100