Australia’s Direct Aid Program supports maternal health in Milne Bay, PNG

Australian organisation ‘Send Hope Not flowers,’ is delivering a maternal health program to help expectant mothers in Milne Bay Province, with the support of the Australian High Commission.

The Safe Motherhood Intervention program is helping to reduce maternal death through encouraging mothers to have a supervised delivery in a health centre, training health staff in obstetric emergencies and providing waiting houses for expectant mothers in remote villages while awaiting labour.

Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner, Ms Bronte Moules, was pleased to meet with Send Hope Not Flowers board members and their PNG partner organisations in Port Moresby, to present two birthing models and emergency support training items.

Ms Moules said the birthing models will be used to train local health staff to deal with emergency obstetric situations.

“Send Hope Not Flowers is a not-for-profit Australian organisation, working to raise funds and awareness around maternal mortality in developing countries.

“The birthing models will support training for health workers, which will bolster skills in antenatal care and obstetrics throughout Milne Bay,” Ms Moules said.

Improved maternal and child health outcomes are a primary focus of the Australian Government’s health sector support in Papua New Guinea, through the Australian aid program.

The Australian High Commission is providing this support through the Direct Aid Program.

The Direct Aid Program is a small grants scheme providing funding to projects which seek to alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development at the local community level in developing countries.