Birthing in Pacific – reducing maternal mortality and morbidity

• Everyday in Papua New Guinea 3 women die due to complications of pregnancy/childbirth.
• For every woman who dies, about 30 sustain significant disability.
• 45 out of every 1000 babies born will not live to see their first birthday.

Birthing in the Pacific is a Soroptimist International project to save mother’s lives in Papua New Guinea, reducing maternal mortality and morbidity by training and equipping birth attendants, educating communities and improving facilities.

The project was set up by SI South West Pacific, involves Soroptimist clubs in Papua New Guinea and is supported by Soroptimists worldwide as part of the 2011-13 Soroptimist International President Alice Wells’ December 10 Appeal.

Soroptimist International of Vancouver donated CAD $3,000 to this project, and we are happy to see achievements of it:

Achievements 2011-12

• US $275820 has been raised by SI groups worldwide!
• 120 “Karim Work Bilum” items have been purchased or donated
• 60 Neo Natalie dolls and 30 other birth education aids have been purchased for use in training
• 24 Village Birth Attendants have completed Literacy and Reproductive Health Education Programmes
• 16 doctors and midwives attend PEmOC training at Mt. Hagen Hospital (facilitators/mentors for the CHW programme)
• 7 Community Health Workers have completed maternal health competency programmes

“There are still 1,000 women dying a day due to pregnancy and childbirth complications. That is like two giant jumbo jets full of women crashing down daily” – Julie Marsaban, SISWP