Although the latest UN Statistics reported a trend that there are fewer women dying from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, globally there are still 1,000 women dying a day due to pregnancy and childbirth complications. That is like two giant jumbo jets full of women crashing down daily or 41 women dying every hour and yet no one hears about this. It’s not breaking news. But if a small 12-passenger plane crashes the news is featured on TV around the globe.” (Julie Marsaban, SISWP)

The death of a child is a tragedy.  The World is 10 years into a 15 year action plan known as the Millennium Development Goals. The current SISWP Federation Project – Birthing in the Pacific (BIP) established in 2010, will focus on Goal 5 – Improve Maternal Health. One of the biggest killers of children under five is the failure of neonatal care, partly due to the lack of skilled birth attendants and appropriate maternal advice. The initial focus of this project will be upskilling and professionally developing midwives as a way of reducing the very high rate of infant and maternal mortality in PNG.

The project aims to provide improved maternal and child health care in PNG with the aim of achieving global health targets such as Millennium Development Goal 5. This will be achieved initially by upskilling and professionally developing midwives as a way of reducing the very high rate of infant and maternal mortality in PNG.

Mother and Baby	Nurses

Building on a pilot competency based programme already conducted in the Port Moresby General Hospital by Alana Street, a midwife member of SI Business on Collins, similar programmes will be conducted there for midwives and birthing attendants . The aim for the future though, will be to expand the project to make provision to include “midwives” in Lae, Ramu and also to bring “midwives” from remote areas for instruction. All three locations having flourishing Soroptimist Clubs where members can be involved in other aspects of the project. The project will cover the costs of these courses through scholarship and sponsorship to allow those participants to attend.

Recently, Janet Askern, (SISWP Federation Project Liaison) accompanied by May Lamont (SI Brisbane) visited all three places to see the conditions at the 2 hospitals and clinic concerned. It was identified that many staff have not had any professional development nor up skilling education since their basic nursing programmes. These hospital staff and local midwives welcomed the educational opportunities our project may offer them and also the prospect of supporting them in managing some of the issues surrounding childbirth in their centres.

Janet and May met with Club members to discuss the project and the issues for pregnant women in their local areas, many of whom give birth at home without trained midwives in attendance. Many issues were raised that will inform and guide the project in the future

Once the SISWP Board members have considered the amended project proposal, Clubs will be informed and suggestions given of many creative and hands-on ways they can be involved in the project

Nurses in training

Mother and new born baby

Awaiting birth