Academic literature on the topic 'Local government Papua New Guinea Maprik District'

<p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>Family Planning is central to the empowerment of women and a key factor reducing poverty. However, millions of women around the world are not accessing safe and effective family planning methods. This study determined contraceptive prevalence and identified barriers to using modern contraception in the Maprik district of East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Methods</strong></p><p>Data from the National Health Information System (NHIS) and a survey of women presenting to outpatient clinics was used to estimate contraceptive prevalence. The in-person interviews, which also sought to understand barriers to using modern contraceptives, included women aged 15-49 years from three different health facility catchments. A population based awareness campaign promoting family planning was undertaken through mass media (local radio) and targeted information sessions.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Findings</strong></p><p>The retrospective review of NHIS data indicated a contraceptive prevalence of 38% while the survey indicated a prevalence of 30%. Of the women interviewed, 46% indicated having an unintended pregnancy and 16% had sought to end a pregnancy. Of those women who were not using modern contraceptives, 19% lacked knowledge on methods to avoid pregnancy and 13% were concerned about side effects from using modern contraceptives. A family planning awareness program resulted in a notable increase in the number of men having a vasectomy.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><p>This study confirmed low contraceptive prevalence estimates in Maprik District and identified the key barriers to contraceptive use that can be effectively addressed. Continued awareness campaigns are necessary to address key knowledge gaps and alleviate fears about the side effects of contraceptive use. </p>

Full notification of deaths and compilation of good quality cause of death data are core, sequential and essential components of a functional civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system. In collaboration with the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG), trial mortality surveillance activities were established at sites in Alotau District in Milne Bay Province, Tambul-Nebilyer District in Western Highlands Province and Talasea District in West New Britain Province.Provincial Health Authorities trialled strategies to improve completeness of death notification and implement an automated verbal autopsy methodology, including use of different notification agents and paper or mobile phone methods. Completeness of death notification improved from virtually 0% to 20% in Talasea, 25% and 75% using mobile phone and paper notification strategies, respectively, in Alotau, and 69% in Tambul-Nebilyer. We discuss the challenges and lessons learnt with implementing these activities in PNG, including logistical considerations and incentives.Our experience indicates that strategies to maximise completeness of notification should be tailored to the local context, which in PNG includes significant geographical, cultural and political diversity. We report that health workers have great potential to improve the CRVS programme in PNG through managing the collection of notification and verbal autopsy data. In light of our findings, and in consultation with the main government CRVS stakeholders and the National CRVS Committee, we make recommendations regarding the requirements at each level of the health system to optimise mortality surveillance in order to generate the essential health intelligence required for policy and planning.

Introduction: There is a high burden of tuberculosis (TB) in the Western Province, Papua New Guinea. This study aims to describe the spatial distribution of TB in the Balimo District Hospital (BDH) catchment area to identify TB patient clusters and factors associated with high rates of TB. Methods: Information about TB patients was obtained from the BDH TB patient register for the period 26 April 2013 to 25 February 2017. The locations of TB patients were mapped, and the spatial scan statistic was used to identify high- and low-rate TB clusters in the BDH catchment area. Results: A total of 1568 patients were mapped with most being from the Balimo Urban (n = 252), Gogodala Rural (n = 1010) and Bamu Rural (n = 295) local level government (LLG) areas. In the Gogodala region (Balimo Urban and Gogodala Rural LLGs), high-rate clusters occurred closer to the town of Balimo, while low-rate clusters were located in more remote regions. In addition, closer proximity to Balimo was a predictor of high-rate clustering. Discussion: There is heterogeneity in the distribution of TB in the Balimo region. Active case-finding activities indicated potential underdiagnosis of TB and the possibility of associated missed diagnoses of TB. The large BDH catchment area emphasizes the importance of the hospital in managing TB in this rural region.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a postdoctoral research study examining the importance of multi-level leadership and health governance for ensuring the implementation of national and provincial health sector strategies that aim to improve maternal and neonatal health (MNH) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Design/methodology/approach A descriptive-interpretive qualitative, institutional approach was undertaken to explore the impact of provincial and district governance mechanisms on the delivery of MNH services in two districts in East New Britain Province (ENBP), Papua New Guinea (PNG). Data were collected from 12 key informants. Informants were selected on the basis of their direct involvement in health system management and deployment of health at provincial and district health governance levels. Findings The analysis revealed alignment between global strategies and national and provincial policy, suboptimal provincial government support related to implementation of policy, divergent data between districts and a disconnect between the local governance mechanisms and a donor-funded initiative for raising midwifery education. Research limitations/implications This qualitative study was limited by the small sample size and does not claim to be representative of ENBP or other provinces in PNG. Originality/value This paper contributes empirical evidence to the literature on health policy, leadership and governance for MNH, by recognising and exploring the formal and informal rules at play in a given context, and examining how they are made, changed, monitored and enforced. These insights are critical to understanding how the system actually functions (or not) to implement MNH strategies in LMICs.

The 1995 local-level government reforms undertaken in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were largely in response to increasing concern that the public service was failing in its responsibility towards the people. As a result, the 1995 Organic Law on Provincial and Local Governments (OLPLLG) was established. The prime purpose of this was to address this issue through deeper engagement of the lower levels of government, particularly local-level governments (LLGs). Almost two decades on, poor socio-economic conditions and deterioration in infrastructure/services suggest that the proposed change has not materialised. The purpose of this paper is to address the question of whether the lower tiers of government are capable of implementing the development plans under the reforms. The paper finds that the 1995 reforms have made LLGs dependent upon their Joint District Planning and Budget Priorities Committee (JDP & BPC) and their district administration, which have become the main impediment to local government effectiveness. This in turn has greatly hindered LLG capacity and has reinforced unequal relations, rather than assisting service delivery in PNG. There is therefore a need to make LLGs more effective players.