Papua New Guinea has a rich history with Australia. While a nation of incredible beauty and culture, there remain numerous gaps in the delivery of quality health care services for many people in PNG.
Of the 6.25 million population:
550,000 people have low vision, correctable with spectacles1
40 % of the nation lives in poverty (less than 1USD/day)2
Highest HIV rates in the Pacific Region and growing at a rate of 33% every year3
Wide spread malaria2
Maternal mortality is as high as 1 in 55 women.4
Limited access to dentistry services5
A 2004 review of the UN's Millennium Development Goals to reduce infant mortality by two thirds, maternal mortality by 75%, and combat HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases reported that PNG will be highly unlikely to reach these goals6
Footnotes:1. Fred Hollows Foundation 2. Statistics Courtesy of AusAID 3. National Department of Health's STI, HIV and AIDS surveillance unit 4. UNICEF, 2005 5. PNG National Health Plan 2001-2010, Waigani, Port Moresby, PNG 6. United Nations Development Programme
