The Special Nursery Care Ward at Port Moresby General Hospital has been experiencing a high number of admissions as of early this year and the mother and babies are in need of the people’s assistance.
For an average of 1000 births per month at the labor ward, the special nursery care takes in half of the total number due to low birth weight, maternity mortality and other underlying medical conditions concerning the mother and baby.
The SPECIAL NURSERY CARE (SNC) ward has the capacity to house only 50 newborn babies.
The SNC team are now tirelessly working beyond their capacity to manage the increasing number of babies that are coming in every week whilst trying their very best to maintain infection control in their daily operations.
Ward Coordinator and Nurse in charge Sr. Kuman, in a statement, expressed her concern saying that the Special Nursery Care ward is a unique ward because we take care of human beings in their very young developing and fragile state.
“Because of the increase in admissions, we need support in basic care supplies like diapers or baby formula to keep the mothers and babies going.”
“Most of these mothers come to us from outside the city usually because of medical grounds to seek specialized treatment for their babies, so they are referred to us.”
“Others come here when they go into emergency labor, thus most are unprepared to support themselves in the meantime.”
Sr. Kuman also acknowledged and thanked donors and individuals who have been stopping by occasionally to offer support in cash or kind as well as a special remark to Friends of POMGEN for the support they have provided.
“For so long, my staff and I have been supporting the mothers and babies here through our small sales at the Maternity ward but now that FOPG is just next door, we no longer run out of essentials like diapers or baby formulas.“
“So, I am appealing to everyone who wish to support our babies and mothers to keep donating to FOPG because they not only support us but the basic needs of all patients in the entire hospital.”
Meanwhile Friends of PomGen Operations and Communications Lead Grace Roland, stated that FOPG manages all donations according to needs at certain wards and works alongside the staff of PMGH to manage all this.
“We are now appealing to all our friends both individuals and organizations to come forward and lend a helping hand to our mothers and babies at the Maternity wing.”
“We appreciate all the help we can get.”