14 August 2014

450 Australia Awards scholarships for PNG’s health workforce

The Australian Government will provide 450 scholarships for Papua New Guineans to study in the health sector in 2015 to address shortage of skilled and qualified health workers.

The Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship (AAPS) program began in 2012 and has supported Papua New Guineans each year since to study nursing, midwifery and community health work at one of 22 institutions across Papua New Guinea.

A team from the Australia High Commission and Australia Awards-PNG facility has visited Manus, Oro, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Sundaun, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, and Southern Highlands provinces in a roadshow to raise awareness about the program.

The roadshow attracted over 860 participants from schools, provincial administrations, provincial health offices and provincial hospitals. The roadshow aimed to encourage applications from rural areas to undertake studies and serve in areas critical to heath in their communities.

“Many maternal deaths occur in the rural areas where there is a shortage of trained health workers to assist mothers deliver their babies safely,” Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ms Deborah Stokes, said.

“Over 170 students from the Australia Awards Pacific Program have graduated with a Bachelor of Midwifery or Certificate in Community Health Work and are now bringing health care services to their communities.”

Eligible Papua New Guineans are provided with a scholarship to support their studies, and gain qualifications in Bachelor of Midwifery, Diploma or Bachelor of Nursing, or Certificate in Community Health Work. To learn more about an Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship visit www.australiaawards.org.pg