PNG Mothers Forced to Give Birth on Hospital Floors as Labour Ward Crisis Deepens

Women arriving to deliver babies at the country’s biggest referral hospital are now being forced onto floors as overcrowding at the maternity ward reaches breaking point in Port Moresby.

At the centre of the growing crisis is the labour ward at the Port Moresby General Hospital where doctors say patient numbers have climbed far beyond what the facility can safely manage.

 PNG Mothers Forced to Give Birth on Hospital Floors as Labour Ward Crisis Deepens/Photo supplied

Senior obstetrics and gynecology specialist Professor Glen Mola warned that conditions inside the ward are deteriorating daily, with mothers waiting for treatment in packed admission areas while others go through labour without proper beds.

“It’s getting worse. It’s a crisis,” Prof. Mola said.

The hospital’s labour ward has only 24 operational beds but is handling around 50 births every day, placing enormous pressure on doctors, nurses and available space.

Prof. Mola said the overcrowding has become so severe that some women are now delivering babies on the floor while others wait desperately for medical attention.

“It’s full. There are three women on the floor. There’s another 22 in the admission area looking at me very hopeful that they’re going to get some care in the near future,” he said.

He said warnings about population growth and rising pressure on health services had been raised with successive governments for decades but little action was taken.

“We warned them 30 years ago this was going to happen, but they took no notice of us,” Prof. Mola said.

Hospital records from 2024 show that out of 17,000 maternity admissions, around 7,000 women received pregnancy and labour care on the floor because of the shortage of beds and space.

Prof. Mola said figures for 2025 are expected to be even worse once final data is completed.

In April this year, Prime Minister James Marape approved emergency funding for a temporary 36-bed ward aimed at easing pressure on the maternity section.

However, Prof. Mola said the project has stalled for more than a month as hospital management continues to review the proposal.

“The Prime Minister allocated money to build a 36-bed extra ward but the hospital management is still considering whether they think it’s a good idea or not,” he said.

“I think we’re the only country in the world where a hospital committee has to approve the Prime Minister.”

Prof. Mola also criticised alternative proposals being discussed, including plans to add only four maternal beds at Gerehu General Hospital, saying such measures would do little to address the growing number of mothers seeking care in the capital.

“What are four beds going to do? We’ve got 50 births a day here. Diverting two to Gerehu is not going to solve our problem,” he said.