Micky Morris chose to be an early childhood educator to give children a head start in their lives Micky Morris chose a profession as an early childhood educator out of his desire to give children a head start in their lives, develop knowledge and skills better. Completing grade 12 in 2003, Micky was wondering what…
For people living in isolated areas, access to medical care can be a real challenge Such was the case for the unreachable neighbouring mountain villages of Huiya and Dodomona. Situated at the border of Hela and Western Province, their remoteness was the reason for a lack of basic health services. But that no longer is…
Improving ante-natal care and increasing the number of women having a supervised birth Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) high maternal and infant mortality rates remain a challenge. Women die every day in PNG from the complications of childbirth often because they are unattended by a health professional. In Hela, the Provincial Health Authority (PHA) working together…
Dorris Charles
Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions because of the opportunity to impart knowledge and skills and influence the positive direction of a young person’s life. “Seeing students finally make a breakthrough and understand something they’ve been struggling with gets me excited, as I can feel the direct impact of our work…
Papua New Guinea’s midwives are unsung heroes Working often in difficult conditions they prepare women for childbirth; help ensure a safe outcome and guide a mother on her reproductive health after pregnancy. Nancy Patrick is a certified Midwife at Mendi Provincial Hospital. Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Midwifery from Lutheran School of Nursing,…
The latest technology for testing for Tuberculosis (TB) at Magarima District Hospital can deliver results in less than 2-hours, eliminating the need for test samples to be sent to Hela Provincial Hospital, a two-hour drive through some volatile parts of the province. According to the Hela Provincial Health Authority (Hela PHA) CEO, Dr James Kintwa…
Keeping health facilities open and ensuring frontline workers have the capacity to provide health care to the people in remote communities of Papua New Guinea is essential. In Hela, Southern Highlands (SHP) and Gulf Provinces, district health facilities are now able to plan, budget and manage health services better, because they now have access to…
Young people are an important human asset for nation building. According to the National Youth Policy 2020-2023, youth make up 36 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) population. In PNG, as is in other countries, social and economic challenges can prevent young people from realising their full potential. In late 2019, The Voice Inc…
Every child regardless of their age, race, gender, wealth or birthplace has rights. When children’s rights are protected, they stand a much better chance of living a happy life, reaching their full potential in life. One basic right of any child is education. In rural areas of Papua New Guinea, barriers such as accessibility, good…
Empowering and enabling people to contribute positively to the communities they live in is what Oil Search Limited (OSL) and Oil Search Foundation (OSF) promotes through its small grants program. The program offers OSL staff the opportunity to become change agents in their communities. Grants are awarded to staff who want to pursue a project…
Access to education remains a major challenge in some parts of Papua New Guinea, and Hela Province is no exception. In remote villages, schools are often far away and difficult to reach, but that does not stop a child’s passion and willingness to learn. Situated in the Koroba- Kopiago district, serving 11 council wards, is…
The Hela Provincial Health Authority, with support from Oil Search Foundation, is bringing health clinics to people in remote areas of Papua New Guinea. For people living in very remote areas of Papua New Guinea, accessing health services can be tough. A lack of road transport means the nearest health facility may take hours or…
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues around the world, the Government of Papua New Guinea is stepping up its efforts to minimise the spread of the virus in the country.
OSF carrying out health checks during a health patrol to a remote village in Southern Highlands Province.
Oil Search Foundation (OSF), like many other development partners,…
Healthcare workers rely on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect themselves and their patients from the spread of Corona Virus (COVID-19) and other infectious diseases. Around the world COVID-19 is placing huge demands on the need for PPE. Ensuring there is a good supply available for health workers is an essential priority for the Government…
Pregnant women in remote areas of Hela province will have access to better services thanks to the initiative of a local health worker to improve maternal health skills. Located in the remote Tebi LLG, the Hangapo health centre provides services for an estimated population of 10,000, serving many council wards in the area. While the…
Meet Anna Anda, Director of Nursing for Mendi Hospital, Southern Highlands Province (SHP) Anna Anda is a Southern Highlands’ woman who is passionate about providing quality nursing care. Inspired by her father; who was a community health worker, Anna started her nursing career in the early 1980s, and has served in Southern Highlands ever since.…
Community health workers in Hela Province have completed obstetrics skills training, improving their ability to provide vital antenatal care and birthing support to pregnant women in remote communities. The intensive six-month training was part of the Wok Bung Wantaim health program, which is supported by the Australian Government and Oil Search Foundation in partnership with…
Helping teachers in remote settings improve their skills via virtual classrooms The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people around the world to adjust to the new way of living and is also affecting many different aspects of life in Papua New Guinea. Take, for example, literacy. How do you equip teachers working in remote communities…
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), only 40% of the country’s population (4.6 million people) has access to safe drinking water. This is one of the lowest rates in the Pacific Islands, according to the World Bank. This is a major challenge faced by many rural communities in PNG, and Hela Province is no exception. The…
Being a nurse means showing compassion and care for those who are injured or sick. Patients must be able to trust you regardless of the circumstance. For Sister Anne Aku, a nurse in Hela province, it not only was care for patients she provided. Her compassion extended to her fellow nursing colleagues. Sr Aku has…
Staff of Kikori Health Services embark on their journey to conduct the Health patrol in Baina village. Remote Gulf Province communities have welcomed an outreach patrol to several villages, delivered by Kikori Health Services, as part of the Gulf Provincial Health Authority’s (GPHA) commitment to improve access to basic services. The patrol brought to many…
Brand new facilities at Hela Provincial Hospital have seen twenty nursing staff including some from provinces outside of Hela, benefit from the upgrades in their first six months. Prime Minister James Marape officially opened the major infrastructure improvements to the Hospital in December 2019 which have helped attract and retain high-quality nursing staff to Tari,…
Oil Search Foundation (OSF) initiated a blood donation drive as part of their community support efforts noting that this simple act saves lives. “Blood donations are always important”, said Sr Damaris Penias, Nurse Manager at the Sir Brian Bell Center for Transfusion Medicine at Port Moresby General Hospital. “But today, with the great need to…
Tuberculosis (TB) claims many lives each day, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In Papua New Guinea, TB is a major public health crisis and impacts people livelihoods as well as the economy of the country. The National Department of Health (NDOH) together with development partners and NGO’s are working together to reduce the…
Midwives play an important role in ensuring women and their babies receive high-quality care during pregnancy, childbirth and after birth
Pictured above: Midwifery OSF scholarship recipients, Nancy Patrick (left), Ninde Kange (centre), and Roselyn James (right) established an incinerator at Lutheran School of Nursing as part of their leadership training assignment. Oil Search Foundation (OSF)…
Science projects and experiments contribute to enhanced learning in class and can set the foundation for a student who wants a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Oil Search and the Oil Search Foundation (OSF) continue to support such learning opportunities and careers in STEM through a recent donation of scientific equipment to…
The State of Emergency declared by the government of PNG, meant many people were required to work remotely and virtual platforms became the only means of communication. Most people are aware of traditional ways of learning in PNG when it comes to acquiring knowledge and skills, for example sitting in a classroom and having a…
Oil Search Foundation (OSF) is working to ensure that immunisation services are not disrupted should more COVID19 cases be found in PNG. Vaccinations work. Immunising children is a simple and effective way of protecting them from serious diseases. When a child is immunized, it not only protects the individual, but also the broader community. According…
With International Women’s Day coming up on Sunday, it’s worth noting that the Family Support Centre (FSC) at Hela Provincial Hospital is busier than ever before. Managed by Hela Provincial Health Authority (PHA), the FSC saw an 85% increase in clients throughout the course of last year. OSF also supports the FSC with additional staff…
Receiving health care for those living in rural areas is not easy. It can mean walking over forested mountains or navigating fast flowing rivers. These conditions can make it especially difficult for seriously unwell or older people, small children and pregnant women. For health service providers, accessing communities to deliver health care can also be…
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