Introduction
Elsie: Halo olgeta, I’m Elsie, welcome to the RoundTable Podcast. We’ve created this space for Ni-Vanuatu women to speak freely on issues affecting us today. Let’s navigate life in the islands together. Join me as I speak to a new guest every episode and ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Ale yumi storian. This project is made possible with the support of the WeRise Coalition and PACMAS.
TRANSLATIONS: Hello everyone, I’m Elsie, welcome to the RoundTable Podcast. We’ve created this space for Ni-Vanuatu women to speak freely on issues affecting us today. Let’s navigate life in the islands together. Join me as I speak to a new guest every episode and ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Let’s discuss. This project is made possible with the support of the WeRise Coalition and PACMAS.
Elsie: This is part two of supporting mothers to be, where I am joined with Alison, Eneth and Audrey from WINGS Vanuatu. WINGS is an acronym for Women in Numbers Gaining Strength. In Vanuatu it is an organization focused on supporting mothers to be, specifically after delivering. On this episode they provide their insights on the gaps currently faced in our health system and share advice for new moms to be. So, with your experience and your understanding, what is something you think more women should know about Labor and delivery? So, what are some maybe tips that maybe auntie Eneth, you can share? What are some tips that you would like to know when it comes to the delivery room?
Eneth: Thank you olsem weh yu talem wanem nao experience taem oli stap kam tru lo labor. I think lo fulap moms even though oli karem fo, faef, six pikinini beh oli no save ol trifala stages ia, stage wan, stage tu mo stage tri. Stage wan mo tu nao emi very important because samfala weh yumi gat sam mama or aunty lo aos oli tingse oli gat experience beh taem mama hemi start blo feelim se gat smol contractions eh yu push nao beh oli stap faraway long home. Beh hemi lo stage wan ia olsem bai contractions hemi stap ko taem hemi complete hemi ko lo stage tu nao olsem mama hemi start nao lo fo centimeters ia i meanim se yumi start blo sta kam long stage tu nao. So, plante lo ples ia ol mama oli no save so taem weh hemi ko tu lo midwife lo hospital, midwife hemi busy. Busy from olsem yumi talem se wok load hemi stap i ko jekem mama. Wan samting weh mi tu mi noticem failure blo mi olsem mi mas admit se mi jekem mama mimi no really talem explainem lo ples ia, luk emia ko wokbaot. So mama poor thing hemi ko wokbaot emi no even start long labor yet emi feelim nomo i soso so i wokbaot by the time emi reachim ples se blo hemi push nao coming to stage tu blo hemi push nao hemi taet. So, lo ples ia mi tingse woman emi save, emi should save ol stages ia. Wan okay yu oraet i zero yet yu spel yu drink plante wota. Beh taem emi kam yu sevemap strength blo yu blo yu kam taem yu fully mifala jekem lo fo centimetre i ko antap. Taem emi fo i meanim se labor hemi start nao. So, fo, six, eight, ten. So that’s why yu kam se oh no yet. Mifala i jek insaed ia, mifala jekem long finger blong mifala. Se hemia tu plante explanation no ko long ol mama. Plante families weh oli sapotem hem se eh emi sta sick nao beh no yet. Oli kros lo midwife from hemi no explainem gud so bai midwife bai se yu ko staon kwaet from emi no wok blo yu. I think one good explaination nomo hemi should ko in there blo educatem mama blo hemi save no noyet mo contraction frequency blong hem, how often hemi kam, strength blo hem how strong, bai i olsem ia nao bai mama hemi save oh no no yet ko ko emi save se hem wan hemi save fully then hemi save helpem midwife lo ples ia. Olsem ol stages olsem ia nao hemi gud tumas blong yumi educatem mama mo wan care giver blong hem weh i stap kam wetem hem long hospital blo hemi understand. Blo hemi kam tufala i no botherem nara midwife tu weh hemi wok se no kolosap from nomo se contractions emi strong beh from maybe hemi stap long wan yet.
TRANSLATIONS:
Elsie: Thank you aunty Eneth. So, blo clarify nomo stage one is when the contractions happen? And is it stage two nao taem emi fo centimetre? So then stage three is when she’s ready.
TRANSLATIONS: Thank you, Aunty Eneth. So, to clarify, is stage one when the contractions happen? And is stage two when it’s four centimeters? So, stage three is when she’s ready.
Eneth: No, stage, thank you. Stage wan olsem weh taem weh contractions emi no yet ah. Stage wan emi ko taem hemi fully taem hemi stage tu nao baby emi deliver. Stage tri emi placenta emi kamout nao, stage tri emia.
TRANSLATIONS: No, thank you, not yet. Stage one is when contractions haven’t started yet. Stage two is when it’s fully time for the baby to be delivered. Stage three is when the placenta comes out, that’s stage three.
Elsie: Okay, okay, and okay its 10 centimetres, right?
Eneth: Yes
Elsie: That the woman has to be dilated in order to have to deliver?
Eneth: To deliver yes.
Elsie: Okay, so , i didn’t know that there were three stages. So that’s really interesting. Is there any other tips or anything that either one wants to give. I have a question like when it comes to the woman delivering the baby, who is allowed to come in with her? Because i know there’s some situations weh bai olgeta long hospital bai oli stopem olsem partner blong hem or wan family blong hem blo folem hem ko insaed. So i just wanna know like who is allow to go in with the woman when they are about to deliver?
TRANSLATIONS: Okay, so I didn’t know that there were three stages. That’s really interesting. Are there any other tips or anything that anyone wants to give? I have a question about when a woman is delivering the baby—who is allowed to accompany her? Because I know there are situations where hospitals may restrict access for partners or immediate family members to join her inside. So, I just want to know who is allowed to be with the woman when she is about to deliver?”
Audrey: Thank you bai mi share smol lo experience blo mi. Actually lo hospital lo martenity ward naia i no allow blo wan narafala man i folem yu i ko insaed even if hemi sista blong yu or emi man blong yu or emi mama blong yu. So, base long experience blong mi, mi lucky weh mami blong mi emi wan midwife so long that time olsem se bai mi talem se everiwan long hospital oli save hem. Afta mi lucky tumas tu se long taem ia olsem ol staff oli from oli sot ah. Afta i gat wan incident i happen weh wan mama i stap kivim birth lo baby blong hem beh insaed long bathroom area so baby blo mi bai hemi olsem se mi sta long stage blong labor tu i sta kamout so mami blong mi deliverem taem nurse i ron i kam beh saye hemi deliverem baby blong mi finis. So mi lucky beh lo smol saed ia se i nogat eniwan weh suppose blo ko insaed wetem mi, mi tingse i should gat wan, wan sapot, someone there just there blong sapotem yu blo kivim birth olsem husband blong yu or yes i think i more gud spos husband i stap blo hemi luk wanem experience nao yu sta ko tru long hem olsem wan mother blo kivim birth blo hemi save se yutufala i ko tru long experience ia tugeta.
Eneth: Bai mi ademap smol bakeken i ko. Plante taem mi laekem tumas blo spos olsem Audrey i talem se spos husband beh spos husband hemi busy then someone at home olsem se mi mi save family blong mi. Yu wan midwife yu wan stranger long mi. Bai mi feel more comfortable wetem family members. Spos no oli allowem wan that’ll be too good. Oli allowem wan i ko insaed from se pos mi sta sick, mi sta arem nogud mi no save singaotem midwife from hemi total stranger long mi. But I’d rather husband blong mi or family member bai mi feel comfortable bai mi talem wanem hemi easy blo mi. Or mi needim sapot blo hemi holem mi or rabem mi long shoulder then that’s enough mi feel comfortable. Midwife emi gat too mas olsem blong ko lukluk emia pos oli allowem wan nomo bai i gud tumas.
Alison: Mi tu mi no sure se what taem oli changem policy ia. And am not sure if its a proper policy or rule or hemi jes wan samting weh hemi shift i kam. It’s a good question. I think its something that we should definitely look into. Perhaps it came about long taem blong covid, that’s my guess, because mi never been harem emia se oli blockem wan family or wan fren blo ko insaed lo labor room. I’ve never heard that before but you know now that we speaking about anecdotal, you know, things that happen to people we know, well obviously, it’s not the same for everyone when they go. And like Audrey said most people their mother is not a midwife and their mother doesn’t know everybody at the hospital. So that experience is going to be quite different than perhaps someone who maybe even as just hemi kam lo aelan emi never even pas long entenatal yet afta emi kam long Vila Central beh i jes hapen se emi nomo kobak long aelan blo hem beh naia bai bonem bebe long ples ia afta bai emi feel olsem wanem? And maybe even man blong hem emi no stap emi ko overseas i ko pikimap fruit or something olsem ia and naia emi feel like what’s, what is that feeling and how does that inform her experience? And look in the midwifery system and education, we do look at and we do place importance on bedside banner and looking after our mothers and educating their families, including the dad and the in-laws and ol toktok weh mi wetem aunty Eneth mitufala sta mekem daon lo Ward beh taem mifala sta ko daon mifala sta tokbaot ol samting blo breastfeeding and the role of the family and attention long postnatal depression from hem tu wan samting. And everyone on the ward is not necessarily had a good experience. Mitufala luk plante plante weh oli been lusum bebe or oli kam from unwanted pregnancy or wan samting weh i pas long hem wan family emi rapem hem or hemi kasem wan history weh emi no wan nice loving history of beautiful conception i no olsem. So, we’ve seen taem weh yu ko long martenity ward you see everything. But we’ve also seen some wonderful things. Some ol beautiful papa oli kam oli wantem save se okay what can i do? Blo mekem se mami blo bebe blo mi hemi, hemi gat everisamting weh hemi needim. What does she need? And, you know, talking about breastfeeding as a family choice as a family decision is a very empowering thing and that’s something that mitufala i stap mekem Vanuatu Breastfeeding Association and the martenity ward. Those midwives they support us going down there because they want everyone to have that information so that they can make the right decisions for their family.
Elsie: Thank you Ali. So, it does sound like there needs to be a lot more information given to the mamas, a lot more compassion needs to be there when the mamas are going in to deliver. But as we already know, it comes back to our health facilities we’re understaffed. There needs to be more time and effort put into there. Before we talk about after you know the moms have given birth and they’re on their new mom journey with their new baby, is there any other support that is given to the mom? So straight after they’ve come out of the delivery room, is there any support that’s given to them? If not, is there any support that you would like new moms to know right after they’ve come out of the delivery room? So like a few hours or days that follow.
Alison: Before we go onto that, can i just look back and say one of the critical things that everyone should be aware of to go back to your previous question. Every mother expecting mother and father should also know this from samtaem bai mama i mas pas lo Caesarian section bai oli mas katem hem blo tekemaot bebe. So the most important critical thing, lo bebe and mama emi skin to skin. And that’s something that Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative really advocates for and I know i can speak with confidence that the midwives know the importance of and the gravity of that. Now, if we could go to a certain circumstance where perhaps it’s not every, perhaps a midwife then needs to jump into another room and, pass the baton to perhaps someone less senior with less experience or a nursing staff, maybe who’s not a midwife, who doesn’t know that protocol that necessity of birth. But, that is why the mothers and fathers or the auntie or whoever is in the room with the birthing mother must be aware that taem weh bebe emi kamout finis emi mas gat skin to skin. This is a critical part of the birthing process that must happen in order to promote and we could do a whole separate segment on that. We could do a whole separate segment on cesarean. We could do a whole separate segment on the different stages of pregnancy, the different stages of labor. You know there’s a lot of information to unpack, but a critical thing is skin to skin. So if suppose woman blong yu emi bornem bebe beh oli mas katem hem beh i no need se hemi ko oli wrapem hem long wan kaliko i ko lo bed. Bai, bai yu mas putum yu karemaot T-shirt blong yu papa ale yu putum baby blo yu skin blo hem i mas tajem skin blong yu. From yumi mas tingbaot se baby hemi been stap insaed, naia baby stap on the outside of the world. It’s like everything has changed. So this we know there are studies that show the necessity and the positive outcomes for feeding, attachment, psycological well-being of mother and child Or in this case if it’s papa and bebe beh emia bai yu luk wan bond. That bond forms in that skin to skin. And nothing, nothing can change that. It is such a crictical moment in the development of that being and in that relationship. It changes so many outcomes for years and years to come. So, that’s something that’s been really ultra critical.
Elsie: So its been really, really interesting for me. I think am like okay this is what to expect if i ever am expecting. But so i think we’ve gone through all the different stages. We’ve talked about the pregnancy, what support is there, the delivery room, the hours after that. Now I just want to quickly touch on the support that’s given after the mom has had her baby. So, we spoke earlier on about the support that’s given from the antenatal clinic and i understand that the clinic at George Pompidou is specifically for newborn babies where they go and do the checkups and make sure that everything’s all good. But, I want to know if there’s anywhere, if there’s any programs available for new moms. So the support that they need after they’ve had the baby, because I understand that you know, after having a baby your body changes again and the hormones are doing their thing. And I just wanted to know if there’s any programs, I guess Wings is an organization that could help new moms after they’ve had a baby. Like what am thinking as well is like the different ways to breastfeed, getting them to understand the new sleeping schedules, all of that.
Eneth: So bai mi kam in smol nomo so afta lo delivery taem weh hemi kam long martenity ward bai mi talem smol and then bai mitufala explain smol wanem we used to do olsem Wings lo mitufala. Beh wan important ples weh wan gap emi missing long ples ia mama emi, save labor emi wan samting weh hemi body blong yu ia so, hemi taet, hemi kam slip lo bed ino blong yumi ol midwives beh yu wok olsem ol midwives. But olsem bai yumi kobak long Ministry blong Health Resource. I think suppose there’s one midwife to five women bai gud tumas. But there’s one midwife to how many women so hemi busy. Beh taem weh hemi ko push i ko then that’s it i finis nao. Mi pulum win from se I’ve done my part mi deliver beh yu mas save se she can bleed anytime, something could happen anytime and suppose hemi fes mum. E nogat taem blo sidaon blo explenem long hem position, attachment or latch blo baby lo breast. Taem baby emi latch on hemi wrong mi feelim pain afta weh mi stress out finis i ko antap long brain ia emi painful so mi mi fraet, inogat release blo milk nao i flow. Oh titi blo mi ia i nogud yangfala ia i talem titi blo mi ia inogud. Midwife bai kam from hemi busy bai emi kam ia bai mi luk yu and then because emi busy i forget. Beh nowadays oli admittim mama long ward ating 24 hours, not even 24 hours oli discharge. And this poor being ia emi karem emia ko lo aos wetem pain weh, crack nipples ia, everi samting ia. Mitufala taem weh we use to work taem we strong yet Wings, mifala gat namba written up lo board. Aunty Eneth emia, spos long area blo mi from oli putum area anuty Eneth emia olsem wanem? Plante taem mi wokbaot mi volunteer olsem Ali i talem. Mi gat family so emia i no se bai mi ko olsem bai mi mas pas i ko i kam i ko mi explenem. But yumi yumi nogat wan system inplace lo Ministry blo Health se taem weh hemi discharge i ko long aos bai midwife hemi mekem olsem emi ko visit, home visit long hem blo i save se emi stap gud? Yu mas save emia from se ol changes ia emi tekem 6 weeks lo wan mama. Taem 6 weeks ia nao emi kam long MCH. So within lo 6 weeks ia yu talem nomo se bai ko kambak. But maybe long wanem hemi ko tru long hem long martenity ward bai hemi stopem yangfala gel ia blo i no save kambak bakeken and she suffers at home alone. So then mi wantem tumas se bai mi lukim kavman emi putum wan system in place iko lo haos. Follow up iko kasem emi kasem 6 weeks and then emi ko long MCH.
TRANSLATIONS:
Elsie: So, MCH hemi?
TRANSLATIONS: What is MCH?
Eneth: Maternal and Child Health Clinic lo George Pompidou.
TRANSLATIONS: Maternal and Child Health Clinic at George Pompidou.
Elsie: Okay thank you. Okay, so there’s definitely a gap there that needs to be filled. What kind of support? I think we spoke about it a bit earlier where it’s clear that, yes, the mom goes in to deliver the baby but the decisions that come after is a joint thing. It’s the mom and the partner, it’s the family decision and so what kind of support do you think partners or even parents, if it’s a young mom, what kind of support should they be giving?
Eneth: Thank you bai mi ansarem emia bakeken olsem i kambak long toktok blong Alison. Plante taem i think yumi lo Vanuatu yumi spoon feed tu ah. Olsem yumi mothers yumi spoon feed yumi ko karem nomo long midwife. But you have to take responsibility lo yu mo pikinini blo yu. From emia i no pikinini blo midwife, emia i no pikinini blo doctor or huia emi yu. Future blong hem emi stap long responsibility blong yu. Mama, papa, bubu yumi weh community blong yumi ia, eh olsem wanem 6 weeks blong baby blong yu ia bai yu ko long hospital blo wanem? Yumi everiwan i mas holem hands tugeta blo yumi lukim wellbeing blong pikinini ia from emi future blong yumi. Mi talem olsem ia from se, mi mi kam long wan ples weh olsem i think from being a nurse me concerned long ol pikinini blo family, immediate family blong mi. Naia oli kam oli wok oli helpem mi so yu yu stap sakem wan samting iko emi resource blong yu long future. So as family wan pikinini hemi blong yumi everiwan. Yumi mas wok tugeta helpem hem. Olsem se pos mama emi sta harem nogud, papa harem nogud, tufala nogat wanem beh yu weh yu save se yu family yu helpem tufala blo ko lo nearest health facility blo tekem ol medicine or ol sapot yumi save kivim long olgeta. Ating plante taem yumi long family nao yumi neglectem emia se no hemia problem blong tufala. So yumi leko olgeta beh yumi mas sapot lo that pikinini ia.
TRANSLATIONS: Thank you for letting me respond to what Alison said earlier. Often in Vanuatu, we are spoon-fed. As mothers, we rely solely on midwives. But you have to take responsibility for yourself and your child. Because it’s not the midwife’s child, not the doctor’s or the nurse’s, it’s yours. Their future depends on you. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, and our community, what will you do after six weeks with your baby in the hospital? We all must come together to ensure the well-being of our children in the future. I say this because I come from a place where, as a nurse, I am concerned about the children of my immediate family. Now they have work and help me too. So as a family, a child is everyone’s responsibility. We have to work together to help. If both parents are ill then the related family should step in and lend a helping hand. Take them to the nearest health facility to get medication or support that can help them to cope with everything. Sometimes in your family, you ignore the problem. So we should still always support and lend a helping hand.
Alison: I think also emi very important blong talem lo partner wetem ol family, ol extended family or in-laws, your impact is massive. So your impact on a positive outcome is massive. Wanem nao meaning blo toktok blo English ia well pos yu yu stap blo startem style blong yumi samtaem olsem naia bai yumi toktok nao. Bai yumi tok lo mama eh yu no mekem emia, yu mekem emia, yu mekem emia olsem wanem, no emia i wrong ia, emia tabu yu no mekem, yu mas mekem olsem ia olsem ia afta, eh beh yu yu save wanem, from wanem yu mekem. Yumi rao long olgeta, yumi stressem olgeta, naia bai milk blong olgeta i no ron bai olgeta oli feelim se olgeta oli no naf blo oli kam wan mama. Afta oli no tingse oli save mekem, oli sta putum olgeta wan daon, oli feel se no. Taem weh yumi olsem ia lo olgeta, beh really hemi wan way weh yumi daonem yumi and that’s what we have to remember. Emia aunty Eneth emi talem se emi really lukluk lo ol pikinini lo family blo hem, hemi really invest insaed lo olgeta naia olgeta oli kam long wan stage weh naia oli give back long hem. So it’s modeling. Yumi mas toktok slow long olgeta. Yu tingbaot se olgeta oli been ko tru long bigfala samting blo bonem wan bebe afta blo ko tru lo samting ia weh oli ko tru long hem. Bodi blong olgeta i stap jenj and the body is a magnificient thing. Beh emi wan journey olsem blo talem toktok word blo yu weh yu yu talem journey, it’s a journey and it’s not a tap, yu no save onem wota afta ofem wota that’s not how the body physically works. So, emi tekem taem blo body blong hem emi kobak, energy blong hem emi mas recover, emi mas gat fulap love and support, and that comes too with how we speak to each other and how we support each other verbally and physically. So, pos woman blong yu emi bonem bebe bai yu no expect se bai emi kerap tumoro blo ko scrapem wan bigfala dish klos blo yu weh yu wok long constraction or samting olsem. Yu tingbaot se emi nogat energy blo singsing lo ol pikinini bifo oli slip or bai yu askem long hem se mi save wasem kabis blo yu, bai mi save mekem samting blong yu blo leftemap heart blong hem from emi fesem fulap samting ia. And if sapos emi fesbon baby blong hem emi wan big shock beh tu pos emi nambatri baby blo hem, beh Mania! Emi mas lukluk long fulap nara pikinini oli wantem se oli gat that attention blong hem yet oli no kasem. Even spos oli 10 or 12 oli no understand from oli ol pikinini yet. So yumi ol adults insaed lo family, yumi mas faenem strength blo yumi feel joy blo new baby, wan new gift i kam insaed lo family blo yu. But at the same time, how can we support the system that supports the baby sipos mama hemi no supported gud beh bai hemi nogat any outcome. So, it’s hard mi save from i no everiwan i live lo wan cement aos, i no everiwan gat cement antanit lo feet blo olgeta rain i rain bigwan okay yumi usum ol kaliko weh yumi no wasem ale yumi usum emia blo ring wota blo roof. Yumi mekem wanem weh yumi save mekem beh lo glad heart taem yumi toktok slo, yumi toktok wetem love and encouragement beh hemi changem laef blo bebe blo yu, hemi changem laef blo family blo yu and emi kivim back wan gudfala laef blo yu wan. So we really have to work together instead of criticizing blo talem se yu emia i no stret ia, yu blo wea, yu yu kam long wanem aelan, eh boi blo mi tekem yu from wanem mi no save yu yu no save kivim titi wanem i wrong wetem yu no yu wan wanem afta yu yu sta. Like all of that distruction and only leads to more destruction. Thanks Elsie i think you keep touching on a very pressing question, which is….Naia sipos wan mama i bonem bebe or papa emi gat question or auntie or apu. You know they want to get support for their daughter in-law, their niece, their partner bai oli ko wea from yumi addressem se hospital like during the process the hospital is already overtaxed. They don’t have the capacity at the moment to provide these services. What can we do? How can we fill this gap, as you say? It’s a brilliant question. I’m so inspired that you have it at the forefront of your mind being a young woman and you’re not even expecting, but you’re so proactive in asking these questions. My hope is that some people with some influence within our government will hear this and be inspired and say, let’s allocate a small amount of money. It doesn’t have to be a large amount of money, but something toward supporting mothers and families and infants and children in Vanuatu. From it’s our future right.
TRANSLATIONS:
Eneth: Bai mi glad tumas sipos lo future kavman blong Vanuatu emi luk save wanem weh yumi ko tru long hem, yumi talem bai hemi harem afta bai hemi mekem. Blo gud lo ol mama wetem ol pikinini. Mi meanim olsem ia sipos i gat olsem mi sta repeatim mi wan gat 5 midwives. Wan midwife to 5 patients lo hospital bai gud tumas lo help message ia wanem weh hemi wantem kivim bai hemi easy blo hemi save transferem i ko lo mama wetem ol pikinini weh i stap emia lo lukluk blo mi mi hope se Kavman emi harem vois blong yumi lo kona blo yumi ol women weh yumi stap try hard blo yumi leftemap yumi ol woman long Vanuatu.
TRANSLATIONS: I would be very glad if in the future the government of Vanuatu looks into what we are discussing here, and we tell them about it and they listen and act accordingly. It’s good for all mothers and their children. What I mean is that if, for example, I have, like, I keep repeating myself, one has five midwives. One midwife for five patients in the hospital would be very helpful for this message about what they want to give so that it is easier for them to transfer it to the mothers and their children who are watching my back. I hope that the government hears our voices in our own language, the voices of the women we are trying hard to help the women in Vanuatu.
Elsie: Thank you tumas. I think, thank you Alison, Aunty Eneth wetem Audrey for being part of this conversation. I am sure that the people who will listen to this episode will get a better idea of the gaps that we currently have in the health system and the gaps that we need to fill. To wrap up this episode, I would like each of you in one word, describe how your journey as a woman in Vanuatu has been navigating life today.
TRANSLATIONS: Thank you very much. I think, thank you Alison, Aunty Eneth wetem Audrey for being part of this conversation. I am sure that the people who will listen to this episode will get a better idea of the gaps that we currently have in the health system and the gaps that we need to fill. To wrap up this episode, I would like each of you in one word, describe how your journey as a woman in Vanuatu has been navigating life today.
Eneth, Audrey & Alison: Challenging, Hopeful, Inspiring.
Elsie: Thank you Eneth, and Audrey and Alison for joining us during that fascinating discussion of supporting mothers to be on their journey.
Eneth, Audrey, & Alison: Thank you!
Elsie: As always, we love to leave you with good information to take away from each episode. So ladies, we need to start taking accountability and ownership of our body and our health rights. If you’re a woman expecting make sure you do your research beforehand. There organizationas out there and information online that can support you. And most importantly, wan samting weh yumi man Vanuatu yumi stap fraet blo mekem hemi askem ol question. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There is a definite gap that we need to fill. Our health facilities are understaffed. Aunty Eneth said her hope is to eventually see one midwife caring for 5 women. However, this isn’t the current situation. Vanuatu’s hospital is understaffed. The current staff is overworked, which brings us back to the overlying issue of funds. We need more funding for our health system and organizations like Wings to better support our mamas and our children. When there is a priority funding, there is more priority given to these essential services and basic necessities for our women. We’ve got lots of other resources and links which you’ll find in our show notes. That brings us to end of this episode. We hope this episode was beneficial to you. As always, thanks for listening to the Roundtable.
TRANSLATIONS: As always, we love to leave you with good information to take away from each episode. So ladies, we need to start taking accountability and ownership of our body and our health rights. If you’re a woman expecting, make sure you do your research beforehand. There are organizations out there and information online that can support you. And most importantly, something that we as Vanuatu citizens are afraid to ask questions about. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There is a definite gap that we need to fill. Our health facilities are understaffed. Aunty Eneth said her hope is to eventually see one midwife caring for 5 women. However, this isn’t the current situation. Vanuatu’s hospital is understaffed. The current staff is overworked, which brings us back to the overlying issue of funds. We need more funding for our health system and organizations like Wings to better support our mamas and our children. When there is a priority funding, there is more priority given to these essential services and basic necessities for our women. We’ve got lots of other resources and links which you’ll find in our show notes. That brings us to end of this episode. We hope this episode was beneficial to you. As always, thanks for listening to the Roundtable.
Ending: Make sure to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok at sistavanuatu and our website sista.com.vu. This is Elsie from the Round Table. If you want to hear more from the Round Table podcast, make sure to tune into the next episode.
