IMPROVING ACCESS

to MEDICAL SERVICES

through PARTNERSHIP

in PAPUA NEW GUINEA M. Verputten

Medecins Sans Frontieres

3

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

BACKGROUND PAPUA NEW GUINEA

SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Meggy Verputten, MSF Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

58% lifetime

prevalence of

intimate partner

violence¹

28% report

sexual abuse

below the age of

16 years²,³

1 Lewis I, Maruia B, Walker S. Violence against women in PNG.

2 Lewis IR. At Risk: The Relationship between Experiences of Child Sexual Abuse and Women's HIV Status in

PNG.

3 Fox T. Domestic violence as a major cause of trauma in Western Province, PNG

4. Jewkes, R. and partners, (2013) ‘Family, Health and Safety Study, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea’, Medical

Research Council. South Africa: Cape Town

Highest rates of family and

sexual violence occurred

in PNG in one location

- 1 in 5 women’s 1st sexual

experience rape

- one-third of men

experienced sexual abuse

as children

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

OBJECTIVE

MSF AND KEY PARTNERS

NDOH: NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH

MSF: MEDECINS SANS

FRONTIERES FSAC: FAMILY AND SEXUAL

VIOLENCE COMMITTEE

To describe how partnership and being a catalyst for

change enables access to free and comprehensive

care for survivors of sexual violence

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

“MSF would be one of the few, to look

after the victims of today”

MSF Explo, Papua New Guinea, 2006

“I am one of those women-all the time being scared

and beaten up in my own house”.

Woman from PNG

METHOD

Meggy Verputten, MSF Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

Routine patient and

program data

Program and

policy development

MSF IN PNG 2007 - 2016

Meggy Verputten, MSF Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

Quality medical care

and counseling

Community and

sector awareness

Catalyst for change

27,993 survivors

received care

68,840 surgeries

Family and Sexual

Violence Centre

(FSC)

Hep B & Tetanus vaccination

Counseling

COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE

Prophylaxis STI & HIV PEP

Emergency Contraception

Termination of Pregnancy on

request

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

Medical certificate

Pathway to FSC

Traditional Village Courts

Police

Health Centers

Community and Sector

engagement

COMMUNITY & SECTOR

Awareness raising

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

Variety of methods and visuals

RESULTS ROUTINE DATA

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

94 % Female - 6 % Male

Time of Presentation

Urgent Medical needs IPV

20 % with major injuries

69 % use of weapons

26 % death treats

RESULTS ROUTINE DATA CHILDREN

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

50 % SV survivors < 15 years

1 out of 6 children < 5 years of age

HOME

IS

WHERE

THE

HURT IS

Meggy Verputten, MSF OCA, Health services for sexual and gender-based

violence in PNG

A mother holds her

6 year old son after

he received medical

treatment

© Jodi Bieber

MEDICAL CARE ALONE = NOT ENOUGH

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

Ongoing violence

1 in 10 women

2 in 5 children

Lack services

Legal – Social – Protection

CATALYST FOR CHANGE -1-

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

Partner Conference:

Medical

Legal

Protection

Training of staff

Training curriculum

2011 – 2013 – 2016

Advocacy reports

CATALYST FOR CHANGE - 2 -

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

2009 2013 2015 2016

Free care

FSV Units

Police

FSC Guidelines Family Protection Act

Clinical Guidelines for Medical and Psychosocial Care

Freephone Hotline

Referral Pathways

Lukautim Pikinini

(Child Welfare) Act

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

TAKE HOME

Survivors will come for care when free, accessible,

quality and confidential health services

are known and available

CONCLUSION

Meggy Verputten, MSF

Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG

Availability services

Medical - Legal - Social -

Protection

Engagement with

Community and Sector

Long lasting change

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The people of PNG

PNG national and international teams

Key partners in PNG FSVC & NDoH

Photos: Kate Geraghty and Jodie

Bieber Meggy Verputten, MSF Improving access to medical care through partnership in PNG