Burnet’s Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies

Bank South Pacific is delighted to announce it is a Principal Supporter of Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, a program designed to help reduce the numbers of women and their babies who die as a consequence of childbirth.

The Bank has committed to sponsoring K 250,000 per year for 3 years.

The program is run by Burnet Institute, an Australian-based medical research organisation in partnership with the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, University of Papua New Guinea, East New Britain Provincial Government and the PNG National Department of Health.

The research program that BSP is supporting will help to identify the main causes of death and disability and find efficient and effective strategies that can be introduced to prevent women and their children from dying.

More than 300 pregnant women in Kokopo, East New Britain have been enrolled in the first phase of the research program and will be followed through their pregnancy, the birth of their child and at one month, six months and 12 months after delivery. It is hoped that with this study the major problems associated with pregnancy, birth and the first months of life will be identified and key interventions found that can be introduced across the country.

Statistics reveal that in PNG more than 1500 women die each year and more than 5,000 children don't make it through their first month of life. In addition more than 7,000 don't make their fifth birthday. In the majority of cases the loss of life can be prevented with better and faster access to health care.

Together with Burnet Institute, we believe that new, high quality research is vital to make sure that the best possible treatment is available in PNG for those who need it, where and when they need it.

For information on the Healthy Mothers Health Babies program go to - www.burnet.edu.au/