By Julie Badui Owa – EMTV News, Lae
A 30-year-old woman who couldn’t give birth at a local health centre rural Eastern Highlands was airlifted by Manolos Aviation to Lae last week Saturday. Diane Martin gave birth to a baby girl at Lae’s Angau Hospital.
The mother and baby were discharged yesterday and were airlifted back to their village. Obura-Wonenara District has been paying for the medical evacuations into isolated communities since 2017 due to the district’s limited road access and proper health facilities.
Diane Martin gave birth twice before but she lost both babies because she could not get to no medical facilities in time. After the successful delivery of her baby, they were airlifted back to their village yesterday in Owena.
Obura Wanenara District of Eastern Highlands Province is very difficult to reach. This hinders the delivery of government services, such as health. In many cases, children and mothers die when seeking health treatment. Only a few survive.
In April 2017, Manolos Aviation airlifted a set of triplets and their mother from Marawaka to Lae, after the mother delivered the three babies unassisted. They were treated at Angau, and were airlifted back to their home in Semega Village, Obura-Wanenara.
For Diane Martin, going back home to Owena with her healthy baby girl alive, is a miracle.
Diane and her baby will be assisted here at Owena Health Centre, the only Baptist-run health centre in Lamari LLG that serves 8000 people.
