Expectant mothers admitted to the Labour Ward of Mt Hagen Hospital will now be using new and more comfortable beds to deliver.

The Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority (WHPHA) has purchased eight new electronically-operated delivery beds for the labour ward, aimed at helping expectant mothers to make themselves comfortable while preparing to deliver.

The beds cost in excess of K88,000 and were supplied by PNG Medical Supplies and Diagnostics Ltd, a local medical supplies company based in Madang with branches around the country.

The WHPHA took delivery of the beds on 28th May 2018 and wasted no time in assembling and placing them in the labour ward for immediate use.

An expectant mother who was admitted to the labour ward on the same day was one of the first to use one of the new beds.

Lavina Samuel, aged 26 of Keltiga village outside Mt Hagen who gave birth to her second child said she was happy to use the new bed as it was more comfortable and easy to adjust than the old beds.

She said the old beds were manually adjusted and were not as comfortable as the new ones and thanked the hospital management (WHPHA) for identifying the needs of mothers and meeting them.

The Sister-In-Charge of the ward, Sr Susan Kolopu echoed the same sentiments, adding that unlike the old beds where mothers found it a bit hard to get on them, the new beds can be adjusted and lowered for them to get on.

She said the head rests were adjustable and the beds could also be folded to make more room for the portable delivery trolleys to be placed on the sides of the beds.

Sister Kolopu said this made the delivery process a lot easier for the mothers as well as the nurses who helped them and she was pleased to have the new beds.