While Papua New Guinea records increased maternal deaths, the need to promote preventable health is vital.
This was the key message at the Child Health Now Advocacy Campaign in Buka today. The campaign, led by World Vision and other implementing partners, aims to raise awareness to the public and the government, to become responsible agents to help prevent more deaths.
Part of the Government’s Medium Term Development Goals, is a healthy and educated population. One key area identified was the lack of conducting more preventable health diseases awareness in communities. Simple daily chores like “wake up in the morning and open the windows.”
In Buka, a float from Hutjena to Buka Town led by children carried one main message: “Child Health Now!” Together We Can End Preventable Deaths in PNG.
World Vision’s Bougainville Program Manager, Roslyn Kuniata, says the government must take ownership, to ensure citizens are healthy and free from diseases. A recent survey conducted by World Vision in ten Bougainville communities, identified malnutrition; diarrhea, and improper water and sanitation, as the leading causes to children’s death, from zero to five years of age.
Meanwhile, the Bougainville HIV/Aids Office also revealed in 2013, that six children under five years of the 100 were confirmed HIV and Aids cases, died. A call has been made to pregnant mothers, to visit antenatal clinics, and get tested.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=WCYp8ZA7TOs%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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