FOUR midwife trainees from Divine Word University’s (DWU) Rabaul Campus have completed a seven-week intensive rural clinical placement at Vunapaka Health Centre in East New Britain Province.
The placement, a first for the trainees at the health facility in Reimber Local Level Government, forms part of the 18-month midwifery training programme under the Australia Awards In-PNG Scholarships.
According to DWU St Mary’s School of Nursing Midwife Lecturer, Eva Tamina, this is the first time that Vunapaka Health Centre, is accommodating the trainees to allow the academic training be translated into life saving practical care where it is needed the most.
“The midwife trainees are attending to antenatal clinics, birth complications and other health care, where they are actually being assessed on how they are competent.”
Other areas that the students are assisting in is providing in-service for clinical staff and as well as empowering the community to take ownership of their health through health promotion and family planning.
The trainees from New Ireland, Milne Bay, West Sepik and Southern Highlands, had returned to their respective facilities.
Although, a good number of nursing staff have undergone the program, it is in the fear that they will abandon the midwifery for other clinical practices.
St Mary’s School of Nursing Lecturer, Ms Tamina said there is a gap in the health system in terms of the provision of maternal child care.
“There is no position and funding for nursing speciality areas such as for midwife, where midwiferies are leaving the provision of care and going into administrative jobs, becoming a challenge nationwide.
This is something that really needs to be looked at so that health centres and other rural facilities have midwiferies present.”
Institutions of St Mary’s School of Nursing, Lutheran School of Nursing, University of Papua New Guinea, Pacific Adventist University and University of Goroka, continue on to be in this program with The Australia Awards In-PNG Scholarships.