By Meleasie Goviro – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Professor Caroline Homer, President of Australian College of Midwives, said 90 per cent of midwives in Papua New Guinea are females, expected to deliver healthy babies in a conducive environment.
It is a challenge for female midwives to juggle their social obligation to family and community activities with the demand of their occupation in poorly equipped conditions.
Just as pregnant mothers are treated with respect and care, midwives deserve the same for the work they do for the community.
Delivering a baby comes with great risk of death and complications; something midwives are burdened with when performing their duties.
Professor Caroline Homer, President of Australian College of Midwives, spoke in depth of the need for women to understand their rights.
She said midwives rights were violated both as women in the community, and at a professional level.
Professor Pat Brodie, Midwifery Advisor with World Health Organisation, said part of recognising the rights of midwives involves understanding that they needed to be well equipped in order to perform safe and successful delivery.
Professor Brodie, with a team of 11 midwives and two obstetricians from University of Technology, have been working in PNG for five years to strengthen midwifery.
Professor Brodie says the government is doing its best to improve the current state of midwifery in PNG.
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