By Collen Barilae – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Village birth attendants continue to play an effective role in carrying out proper child delivery cases at the village level throughout Papua New Guinea.
Today’s Midwifery Symposium in Port Moresby has attracted over 200 midwives from across the country and have come together to discuss their challenges in maternal care services.
The role of village birth attendants continues to be encouraged at community levels, as present midwife numbers are limited.
Most of the midwives in attendance at the symposium are village birth attendants, uncertified but may be experts in their own ways, and they assist in handling minor to major cases like referring child delivery cases to doctors present at nearest aid posts then to midwives at health centres.
In Morobe’s Nawaeb area, the district has embarked on a community health program that trains mothers as village birth attendants, or first-hand midwives.
The current two-day midwifery symposium highlights the midwifery profession and relevant skills required.
However, with limited health resources available, village birth attendants have been encouraged to maintain their roles.
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