Enga Baptist Health Services, Papua New Guinea – The Show, Know and Grow Program Community Outreach
Papua New Guinea (PNG), with its population of 8.4 million people (2018), is located in the South West Pacific. PNG is surrounded by sea with its two closest neighbours being Australia to the south and Solomon Islands to the east. It has a land border with Indonesia to the west.
Australia’s closest geographic neighbour is ranked 153 on the UN’s Human Development Index out of 189 countries [United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 2020]. An estimated 27 per cent of the population are poor and/or face hardship (2015 Pacific Regional MDG Tracking Report) with some of the most disadvantaged communities located in the highlands provinces.
Enga Baptist Health Services (EBHS) main objective is to provide much needed access to healthcare through community outreach in an area where healthcare is scarce.
EBHS has always had a large focus on outreach work because the lack of transportation makes it very difficult for villagers to reach the hospital.
In FY2026, MMA is improving access to preventative health care by supporting an initiative of Dr. Diane Yoko, a PNG trained medical doctor who is based in Kompiam.
The Know, Show and Grow program provides comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education for the children of Kompiam in Upper Primary and Secondary School.
The program identifies and addresses cultural barriers which facilitate social problems in the community such as sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, domestic violence, sexual violence which are seen on a large scale.
The three main objectives are to:
- Educate and increase awareness on sexual health issues
- Empower children and youth with information around sex and reproduction to make informed choices
- Employ a whole of community approach to sexual and reproductive health issues.
“The confusion and struggles in the next generation is evident in the rise of gender-based violence, sexual violence, marital discontent, unplanned pregnancies, infertility and sexually transmitted infections. There is an urgent need for information and education to equip the next generation to make informed decisions around sexual and reproductive health.”
- Dr. Diane Yoko, Project Lead, Know, Show and Grow Program.