Burnet Institute’s landmark Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies (HMHB) program to address maternal and child health in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is entering a new phase with renewed funding from Principal Sponsor, Bank South Pacific (BSP).

BSP is contributing K250,000 in the second year of a three-year agreement to support HMHB, a five-year study in East New Britain Province to identify why PNG has one of the world’s highest rates of maternal and newborn mortality, and the best ways to reduce it.

HMHB recently achieved an important milestone with the recruitment of its 700th participant, with the focus now to transition from data collection to data analysis and the reporting of findings.

Burnet Director and CEO Professor Brendan Crabb AC said such milestones would not be possible without Bank South Pacific’s outstanding generosity.

“Bank South Pacific understands the importance of an evidence-based study like Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, and its support is warmly appreciated,” Professor Crabb said.

BSP General Manager Retail, Paul Thornton said the bank recognises the significant health issues faced by many women in PNG.

“We acknowledge the work that the Burnet Institute and its partners do in the community through the critically important Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Program,” Mr Thornton said.

“We know that through this financial commitment, the bank is able to contribute to positive change in the people and communities that we operate in.

“This support to women and children is in line with our 2017 Community Projects theme: ‘Empowering Women and Children’.”

More than 5000 newborns die each year in PNG, and another 7000 won’t survive to their fifth birthday, yet two thirds of these deaths could be prevented with basic but effective interventions.

Find out more about Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, and help save mums and babies from malaria by donating to our Saving Lives from Malaria Appeal.