04 August 2014
Australia improving access to family planning services for PNG men
Australia is increasing access to family planning services in Papua New Guinea, with the official opening of the new Non-Scalpel Vasectomy Clinic (NSV), the first of its kind in the country, built in Goroka in the Eastern Highlands province.
Counsellor, Development Cooperation at the Australian High Commission, Dr Geoff Clark, opened the Australian funded PGK900, 000 fully equipped building in a ceremony in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.
“The Goroka Non-Scalpel Vasectomy clinic will increase male engagement in family planning programs which will help to promote safer motherhood and improve maternal health outcomes,” Dr Clark said.
“Family planning in Papua New Guinea is traditionally seen as a woman’s responsibility. Engaging men in family planning programs is one of the key ways of improving maternal health outcomes.”
A non scalpel vasectomy is a simple and cost effective method of family planning. The new state of the art facility includes surgical rooms, training rooms and consultation rooms.
It is the first purpose built non-scalpel vasectomy facility in the country and is combined with a training centre to allow health care workers to be trained in the procedure.
Training will be provided in partnership with the Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority and Marie Stopes PNG. The Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority will provide non-scalpel vasectomy technicians who will train Marie Stopes’s staff to perform the vasectomy procedure and also conduct outreach programs.
“We are pleased to be leading the way in PNG in providing non-scalpel vasectomy as a key element of our family planning program” said Mrs Lillian Siwi, CEO of the Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority, “and we look forward to using this facility to train health staff from across the country. I’d like to encourage men in PNG to take advantage of this important service and show leadership in family planning in their communities” Mrs Siwi said.
In partnership with Marie Stopes and the Eastern Highlands Provincial Health Authority, Australia is increasing the number of supervised births by trained midwives and the use of family planning, both of which are proven methods of saving mothers’ and babies’ lives.