04 December 2012

Reducing child and maternal death rates in PNG

Australia will make over a Au$ 66 million (K147 million) commitment to reducing child and maternal deaths in Papua New Guinea by providing up to 1,400 nursing and midwifery scholarships to reduce child and maternal death rates.

Australia Foreign Minister, Bob Carr made the announcement at Mt. Hagen General Hospital in Western Highlands Province, accompanied by PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato.

Senator Carr said the scholarships at local medical and nursing schools would deliver 450 community health workers, 450 nurses and 500 midwives by 2015.

Around one in 15 PNG children will die before the age of five, many following complications arriving from poor maternal care.

"All women have a basic right to maternal health care," Senator Carr said.

"The midwives and nurses trained through these scholarships will supervise around 8,000 births a year, potentially saving hundreds of lives.

"I'm proud that Australia can make this commitment to basic medical care for women and children, in partnership with the PNG government and Prime Minister O'Neil."

The scholarships would be delivered between 2012 and 2015 as part of the Australian Regional Development Scholarships program. Preferences for places would be given to young women from rural areas who are already committed to health worker training.

Funds would support additional infrastructure and teaching capacity at local training centres. Australia would also deliver medical supplies for 3,300 hospitals, health centres and aid posts in rural PNG.