Partnerships between midwives from Australia and Papua New Guinea help to improve infant and maternal outcomes

Image source: International Confederation of Midwives

Although they are close neighbours, the experience of pregnancy and birth for women in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is vastly different from Australia.  In PNG there are numerous barriers to accessing quality maternity care and this results in a high rate of preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.

In April this year, seven Australian midwives visited PNG to collaborate with local midwives as part of the PNG Midwifery Leadership Buddy Program (Buddy Program).

The aim of the program is to build leadership skills so that midwives have the confidence to drive initiatives that will result in better health outcomes. The Buddy Program is funded and managed by the Rotary Club of Morialta (South Australia) and The Rotary Club of Port Moresby (PNG), in partnership with PNG Midwifery Society and the Australian College of Midwives.