Transcript
SHELDON YETT: None of the Pacific are on the list of those countries on the list of worst infant new-born mortality but there's still much more work to be done. Papua New Guinea of course has one of the highest as does Kiribati. There’s more work to be done in Micronesia, Vanuatu and Solomons as well. There is some disparity as we aren't the worst, but there is still work to be done.
SARA VUI-TALITU: So in terms of this latest report, yes I did notice that Papua New Guinea and Kiribati had the highest rates across the region - why is that do you think?
SY: Well of course it is very hard to name just one specific reason. Often high rates are due to a complex interplay of factors. Underlying health of a population, the services that are available, the skills set there, the supervision in health centres, the supplies available in health centres and all these working together. UNICEF is saying that governments need to concentrate on what we call the four P's. People, making sure that we have staff in the right place at the right time. Skilled birth attendants nurses midwives and doctors in health centres. Making sure that health centres have functioning water and electricity and it’s basically clean and there's sanitation in place. Making sure the right drugs are available and the right supplies are there, the right products. And most importantly making sure that mothers and adolescent girls actually demand the services from the community, from the health workers, and from their governments. That they feel empowered to ask and demand the best care that is possible.
SV: It is interesting that in this release [it says] if every country brought its new-born mortality rate down to the high income average by 2030, 16 million lives could be saved. That is quite astounding.
SY: Yeah, these are amazing numbers and the issue of course is not just the amount of new-born mortality in poor countries. It's a massive disparity. It is the fact that in high income countries, the rate is 3 deaths per 1,000 while in low income countries, the average mortality rate is 27 deaths per 1,000. But of course we know that all kids, all children have the same rights no matter where they are born. And we need to make sure children in low income countries have the same chances of surviving as their peers in high income countries, that's why it is important to make these investments.
SV: So this month UNICEF is launching every child alive - can you tell us more about this campaign?
SY: Yeah it's a campaign where we are asking governments and partners to help save the lives of children by investing in these basics. Investing in skilled staff, attendants, skilled doctors and nurses, at community level. Making sure there is antibiotics remain central on the list and government is prioritising the purchase of these supplies and prioritising the distribution of these supplies to the community level. Making sure centres have basics necessities like sanitation. I have been to health clinics across the Pacific and elsewhere around the world where mothers give birth in centres without any running water. If that is the case, it is highly likely that mothers will get an infection and we know that sepsis is one of the leading causes of death. We're asking that mothers, children and parents demand the services and become aware themselves of what they can do and how they can help put pressure on governments to survive and make sure centres are well equipped to help keep mothers and children safe.
