Delivering sustainable WASH solutions in Mulitaka
More women accessing safe supervised deliveries close to home
One year after a devastating landslide upended lives and livelihoods in Mulitaka, Enga Province, access to vital health services that were once mostly out of reach, has now significantly improved.
Before the disaster, the Mulitaka Health Care Facility was often forced to close its door to the surrounding communities because there was no running water to maintain hygiene and cleanliness or support safe childbirth.
That is until a generous contribution from the Government of Japan enabled UNICEF to install critical water and sanitation hygiene facilities as part of ongoing recovery efforts in the affected communities.
The impact is remarkable, particularly for pregnant women. An increasing number of expectant mothers are now choosing to have supervised deliveries at the health facility.
“We are happy to have running water and lights in the labour ward. Before the landslide, we did not have many patients. After the landslide, our patient numbers increased including the number of pregnant women as we are now able to safely deliver babies.”
With newly installed water tanks, a solar-powered water pump, solar panels for electricity, and the renovation of the labour ward, toilet and showers, pregnant women no longer endure the bumpy two-hour trip to access health services in town.
“Our maternal and neonatal death rates are quite high in Enga Province, and it is critical that we bring pregnant mothers to deliver in health care facilities,” Dr. Betty Koka, Public Health Director of the Enga Provincial Health Authority explains.
“I am grateful to the people of Japan and UNICEF for renovating Mulitaka Labour ward and contributing to bring pregnant women to this health care facility, “she adds.
UNICEF has been on the ground in Mulitaka working in close partnership with Care International since June 2024 to improve sustainable water and sanitation solution to communities affected by the landslide.
Despite the delayed implementation of humanitarian response due to several security incidents, UNICEF and its partners continue to support the Enga Provincial Government in assisting affected populations and institutions like the Mulitaka Primary school and Mulitaka Health Care Facility.
Hundreds of people tragically lost their lives on May 24, 2024 when a deadly landslide struck the village of Kaokalam in Mulitaka at around three o’clock in the morning while villagers were sound asleep.
