Plan family wisely, doctor warns

A DOCTOR is warning couples to plan their families wisely during the Covid-19 pandemic as health services around the country are under immense pressure.
Dr Leo Winuan, the head of obstetrics and gynaecology department at the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae, said pregnancies should be avoided as the hospital was scaling down services.
“We cannot (right now) even provide the minimum service to our people,” he said.
“With the Covid-19 here, there’s a diversion of interest. It would be wise to delay pregnancies until this pandemic is over or under control.”

Dr Glen Mola, the head of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of PNG, had made a similar call last year.
He predicted then a strain on health resources, making it harder for pregnant women to access health services.
He said the pandemic would make pregnancy even more dangerous for mothers and their babies.
He even suggested a two-year moratorium on pregnancies.
Dr Winuan said the country’s second largest hospital was still seeing more pregnant women.
“In a day, we deliver about 35 or more babies,” he said.
“That’s more than 700 newborn babies a month, or 9,000 a year.”
He said they did not have enough nurses and doctors.

​The National / PNG health News

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