Pacific

NGO ecourages pregnant Vanuatu women to speak with communities

19:05 pm on 10 March 2014

Save the Children in Vanuatu says women there need to speak up if they're experiencing isolation or health problems during pregnancy.

It follows the death of a new-born baby, who died shortly after birth in a truck, which was travelling to Norsup hospital from Tismam Island.

The deteriorating conditions of health services in rural areas of Vanuatu, as well as dilapidated roads, have been named as causes.

The Vanuatu Women's Council says women are too often judged and blamed when things go wrong during pregnancy.

Save the Children agrees, but says women need to talk to their community when they are experiencing issues during pregnancy.

Its assistant child protection manager, Elizabeth Emil, says it is currently running a number of community outreach programmes to educate communities on the options available when women feel ill or isolated.