By Linda Deys and Rachael Ame Maima
In April 2024, I (Linda) joined six other Australian midwives as part of a project to improve maternal and newborn outcomes in Papua New Guinea by strengthening the leadership skills of midwives there. What I knew of midwifery in Papua New Guinea was that it was challenging and very different to what I had ever experienced.
Papua New Guinea is so close to Australia, but it has one of the highest morbidity and mortality rates for women and their babies in the Western Pacific region. Midwifery care improves outcomes for women anywhere in the world but more so when resources are limited. Papua New Guinea lacks many resources but most importantly it lacks sufficient midwives.
The Papua New Guinea Midwifery Buddy Program I was taking part in is being funded through a grant project by Rotary members in Australia and championed by the Australian College of Midwives and the Papua New Guinea Midwifery Society. Landing in Port Moresby, our Australian group met 14 midwives from Papua New Guinea as part of the 2024 group.
I met amazing women from both countries, who held the same values and commitment that I had – believing in the power of midwives and women. I was matched with two incredible Papua New Guinea midwives as we began our year-long partnership. Our shared goals and similarities were more obvious than our differences. We were midwives, holding the same philosophy and dedication to our profession.
At the end of our year, we had overcome challenges of communication, worked together with our individual skills, upheld each other through setbacks, built friendships, and improved the care of pregnant and birthing women in Papua New Guinea. Not bad!
The philosophy and commitment of Rotary is like that of midwifery – serving others, improving lives, embracing diversity, and valuing our differences. Rotary understands the importance of leadership, friendship, and working together.
Papua New Guinea already has strong midwives. What they need is powerful leaders. I am very proud to have been part of this program supporting the growth and development of strong midwifery leaders.
Rachael – When I applied for the buddy program, I honestly thought it would simply be an opportunity to connect and make friends with Australian midwives. I soon learned it was so much more, as we undertook projects to build leadership skills, strengthen advocacy, learn how to write effective proposals, engage with key stakeholders, and build public speaking and other leadership skills.
The Rotary club provided everything we needed and cared for us. I am typically a shy person who remains reserved in professional meetings, but the warmth and openness that I felt from the Australian midwifes completely put me at ease. I realized something special – midwives share a deep sense of love and compassion which unites us in powerful ways.
I was introduced to my buddy (Linda) in a workshop on the third day of the program. She is such an amazing person and mentored me from that time through to the completion of our one-year project partnership. We have worked together on securing HemoCue devices (point-of-care testing systems used to measure hemoglobin levels in the blood) for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force military clinics.
Our project aimed at improving maternal health and the outcomes for newborns by increasing the quality of care at the antenatal clinics. As we sought funds for our project, Rotary members provided continuous support, and the assistance of the Australian midwives made me realize I was not alone.
Through the buddy program many women within our clinic’s catchment area now benefit from the point-of-care hemoglobin testing – a game changer for safe motherhood and better clinical outcomes. Participating in the buddy program has been a fulfilling, motivating and deeply satisfying journey.
I also want to thank the Australian College of Midwives for sponsoring three Papua New Guinea midwives to attend their 2024 conference. That opportunity provided even more learning, networking, and inspiration to continue our leadership journeys.
This program has transformed the way I see myself as a leader, advocate, and midwife. I am excited about the future – for myself, for the women I care for, and for midwifery leadership in Papua New Guinea.
Linda Deys is a clinical midwife consultant for Illawarra Shoalhaven health district in New South Wales, Australia. Rachael Maima is a clinical midwife at the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Military Hospital
https://blog.rotary.org/2025/05/06/buddy-program-supports-midwives-builds-strong-leaders-in-papua-new-guinea/