Molly Oteve didn’t pay much attention to the health of her children until her first born son died last year of tuberculosis. She thought she knew about TB, but unfortunately all that she knew was incorrect.

Three years ago Molly’s three year old son James was admitted to the Port Moresby General Hospital where he was diagnosed with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in his brain. This caused gradual paralysis and he lay in bed for another three years before dying at the age of six.

In Papua New Guinea there are still many misconceptions about TB. Many people believe that TB is caused by sorcery while others believe it is transmitted though sharing utensils. Misinformation and lack of education have become barriers to finding a cure.

While no official reports have yet been produced, it is estimated 25% of TB patients in Papua New Guinea are children. Molly’s son James is just one case representing the many children of this island nation who are dying from TB every year.

Today, Molly is one of the mothers who regularly attend mother and child health and nutrition programmes carried out by World Vision in the Five Mile settlement area of Port Moresby.

“If only I had received such health information before, I think I could have helped save my son’s life,” said Molly who is now left with two children, three year old Lillian, and six month old Ishmael.

The same year that Molly’s son James died, Molly was pregnant with baby Ishmael and started attending antenatal clinic at the Six Mile health centre. Molly says, she does not want to lose her other two children to TB, therefore she frequently attends the mother and child health nutrition programme and makes sure her children get immunisations and check ups when the mobile clinic visits her area.

“I’m very thankful for the mobile clinic because most mothers here sometimes don’t have bus fares to take their children to the Six Mile clinic to receive immunisations or even medical checkups,” says Molly.

World Visions maternal and child health nutrition programme in Papua New Guinea hopes to eliminate the spread of communicable diseases by educating the mothers on preparing balanced and nutritious diets, understanding health and sanitation issues, and preventing communicable diseases like diarrhoea, TB and Malaria.

Through the maternal and child health programme it was discovered that TB was common in the Five Mile area around Molly’s community. High rates of urbanisation which have driven much of Port Moresby’s population to reside in overcrowded and confined settlement areas has increased the risk of contracting TB. People in these areas often have poor health and lack nutritious diets, making their immune systems less able to fight TB.

Outside of Port Moresby, people in rural areas are also vulnerable to TB due to a lack of access to health facilities, poor transportation, insufficient finances and lack of awareness.

In Papua New Guinea, World Vision is working to clarify these misconceptions and educate women, families and communities on the ways that their actions contribute to the health and wellbeing of their children and family.

Molly shared, “I now can use the knowledge and skills gained from the health outreach programme to look after my family well and keep them all healthy.”