A group of Fijian midwives have helped deliver about 90 babies in Vanuatu's Vila Central Hospital since their arrival late last month in the aftermath of Cyclone Pam.
Fiji midwives in Vanuatu Photo: SUPPLED
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) helped get nine Fiji midwives to Port Vila as the hospital's maternity ward struggled to cope.
The hospital's Medical Superintendent, Richard Leona, says about 300 babies are being born at the hospital every month, one of the highest rates in the Pacific, and there was already pressure on the ward.
"It's an ongoing issue but also with the cyclone some of the staff have been on leave repairing their houses and also most of our midwives here are on the age of retiring so that need has become prominent after the cyclone."
Dr Leona says the midwives from Fiji are due to stay for a month but they are in the process of requesting that that be extended.
