Australian High Commission
Papua New Guinea

141222 MR Students design neonatal centre to save lives in remote PNG

22 December 2014

Students design neonatal centre to save lives in remote Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea prenatal complications are the leading form of death. Architecture students from the University of Melbourne have designed and built a neonatal centre and innovative composting toilet system, with consideration for the unique challenges faced by the remote Suanum community on the northern coastline of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The $60,000 initiative, jointly funded by the Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea’s Direct Aid Program and the University of Melbourne’s Bower Studio, addresses the importance of sanitation in reducing mortality rates. This includes clean running water, a sanitary neonatal centre that sleeps up to four women, and a composting toilet system.

The Bower Studio project team, led by Dr David O’Brien from the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, collaborated with the Suanum community to design and build sanitary facilities that are vital for improving health outcomes.

“This was a unique opportunity for the Master of Architecture students to enhance their design and community consultation skills. Our team has developed robust and culturally appropriate facilities in Suanum, a remote community of almost 100 people with no health facilities available to them within a three hour radius.

“Safe and clean facilities reduce the physical and mental risks for the mother and child in the first month after birth. These facilities will improve health outcomes, while also respecting the community’s strong cultural traditions,” he said.

Dr O’Brien said less than half of PNG women give birth at a health facility or hospital, leading to one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world where prenatal complications are responsible for one out of every 10 deaths. Infant mortality rates are more than 10 times higher than Australia, with 47 infant deaths per 1000 live births in PNG, compared to three infant deaths per 1000 live births in Australia.

Like all coastal communities in PNG, Suanum is also at risk from rising sea levels. The traditional pit toilets flood during high tides, spreading human waste throughout the community.

“We have tested our composting toilets near PNG’s second largest city, Lae, and they have proven a vital sanitary facility for the community,” said Dr. O’Brien.
Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Ms Deborah Stokes, congratulated the architecture students on the success of the project.

Ms Stokes said facilities for skilled supervised births such as the Suanum neonatal centre are vital in saving the lives of mothers and their children during childbirth. The project supported Australia’s broader commitment to providing increased midwifery education and facilities in PNG.

Since 2008, projects such as this from the yearly Bower Studio have helped design and construct houses, computer labs, an early childhood learning centre, community bathing facilities and community centres, alongside numerous partner communities. These projects have taken place both in Australia and internationally.