The Health Care Manual Revision Project

Baptist Union PNG Project Manager, Joyce Melepia
 with the current manual

By: JACOB MARCOS

The Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is spearheading a project to engage health experts in PNG to revise the Health Care Manual for Community Health Workers (CHWs).

Baptist Union PNG Project Manager, Joyce Melepia said yesterday that for thirty (30) years rural health workers have been using Dr Clifford Smith’s 800 page manual as their guideline.

“The book has been the main reference book for training and practice but the second edition is now twenty (20) years out of date,” Ms Melepia said.

“This book needs a complete revision to provide CHWs all the latest information they need at their fingertips,” she said.

The project is up and running to assist rural health workers of PNG, according to project manager.

“With the initiative of the late Dr Smith, the Baptist Union of PNG is spearheading the project to engage health experts in PNG to revise the book.  This is in partnership with National Department of Health, Christian Health Services and Church Partnership Program the,” Ms Melepia said.

She said that there will be consultations in Port Moresby, Rabaul, Madang and Mt Hagen with CHW Training Schools and CHWs in the field to get their input on what they would like to see in the third edition.

“After this, the revision will begin.  Because it will include new content, it may be up to 1000 pages in two volumes, Ms Melepia said.

Their goal is to put a copy of the third Edition into the hands of every CHW and student by the end of 2018.

Then rural health workers will have all the information they need to do improve health care in their communities.

She thanked the National Department of Health (NDoH), Christian Health Services of PNG (CHS), Church Partnership Program (CPP) through the Australian Government DFAT, Baptist Union of PNG (BUPNG), AusVoc Educational Publishing and HealthServe Australia for their support.

Ms Melepia said that fifteen thousand (15,000) copies will be printed in 2018 and a copy will be given to each CHW.