Four midwife trainees from Divine Word University’s (DWU) Rabaul campus have successfully completed a seven-week intensive rural clinical placement at the Vunapaka Health Centre. 

Located in the Reimber-Lassul Baining Local Level Government (LLG) of East New Britain Province, this marks the first time the Vunapaka facility has hosted students for such an assignment.

The clinical placement is an integral component of the 18-month midwifery curriculum supported by the Australia Awards In-PNG Scholarships program. 

According to Eva Tamina, a midwife lecturer at DWU St. Mary’s School of Nursing, partnering with Vunapaka Health Centre allows academic instruction to be directly translated into lifesaving practical care where it is needed 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.”

Beyond direct clinical duties, the trainees- hailing from New Ireland, Milne Bay, West Sepik, and Southern Highlands provinces, assisted by conducting in-service training sessions for local health staff. 

They also worked closely with the surrounding community, conducting health promotion activities and family planning sessions to encourage community ownership of health and well-being. 

Upon completion, the scholars will return to serve in their respective home provinces.

Despite the ongoing training of specialized nurses, health educators remain concerned that many graduates may eventually move away from active midwifery practice. 

Ms. Tamina highlighted critical structural gaps in the national health system regarding maternal and child-care delivery.

“There is no position and funding for nursing specialty 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.”

The Australia Awards In-PNG Scholarships program continues to support midwifery training across several key institutions, including St. Mary’s School of Nursing, Lutheran School of Nursing, the University of Papua New Guinea, Pacific Adventist University, and the University of Goroka.