The status of health and health services in Papua New Guinea is among the worst in the Pacific region. Communicable diseases, including malaria and tuberculosis, remain the major causes of morbidity and mortality in all age groups. There is a shortage of medical doctors, nurses and community health workers in most rural areas, and a lack of awareness of both health-promoting and risk-related behaviour. Additionally, the maternal mortality rate in PNG has steadily worsened, with the rate of women dying in childbirth more than doubling in the period 1990-2007.

The Women and Children's Health Program has been operating in the province of East Sepik since 1995. Divided into six districts, East Sepik has extremely poor roads, with many areas accessible only by boat and light plane.

Despite the challenges, our program continues to grow, working with prominent local partner organisations to:

• Improve basic family health within East Sepik rural communities

• Improve access to potable water and sanitation facilities

• Improve management of and access to quality Sexually Transmitted Infection services

To date the program has established Village Health Workers in over 800 villages across all districts of East Sepik, delivering over 320,000 consultations in the last year. Save the Children remains committed to working with our partners to support the development of health services in PNG, promoting and advocating for continued support to village health workers and the important role they play in meeting the health needs of women and children in PNG.

Find out more about health workers.

First hand stories

Sheila

Sheila is a marasin meri (medicine woman) and village birth assistant in the Musandai village, outside Brugam. Sheila completed school to grade ten, and has worked as a village health volunteer trained by Save the Children since 2002. Sheila says:

"It can be very difficult to take patients to the health centre in Brugam. Sometimes there are problems with the road. When there is heavy rain it is very difficult for people to go. The creek floods. Previously patients died. When families saved enough money they could pay for vehicles. If not, they had to carry the patient on a stretcher. Also there are land disputes with the village on the road to Brugam, so sometimes there are road blocks.

I usually help pregnant mothers too. Before, they went to Brugam. Now only those with complications go. Most deliver in their homes, with my help. Normally there is about one birth a month, sometimes two. Malaria has reduced a lot since nets were given out. Previously I didn't know anything about disease but now I know a lot and I know which medicines can treat disease. I know more about family planning and safe motherhood."

Theo

Theo, a patient of Sheila's was treated for a stomach ache. He says, "Before we had a village health volunteer we used herbs. or we would go to the health centre in Brugam. In emergency cases we'd use a stretcher. It's very important having a health volunteer in the village. It's hard for us to go to Brugam, so it makes it easier for the people.

Sheila plays a very good role in serving the people. Even though she is not paid, she does a very good job. It's no longer like before. You can see the village is much cleaner. People drink clean water. Children don't get ill so much. They can spend more time at school."