UNICEF Papua New Guinea’s Post

With over 80 % of the population living in remote areas of Papua New Guinea, access to health and nutrition services is challenging. That’s why the community nutrition actions are very important. With support from KOICA , 16 Village Health Assistants have been trained in Health and Nutrition in Rigo District, Central Province. On Wednesday 15th October 2025, our regional director, Ms.June Kunugi, met with VHAs in Boregaina, Rigo District, to hear their stories. “Currently, we are working in our own community” said Rabona Abe, a Village Health Assistant in Boregaina community. “Our role as VHAs involves promoting health and nutrition in the community. We provide preventive messages relating to healthy eating and behaviors, positive parenting, infant and young child feeding, and referral of health and nutrition cases to Boregaina Health Center for treatment and other support”. In PNG, one in every two children under five suffers from stunting and 16% from wasting due to malnutrition. We are calling on the government to immediately adopt the VHA policy, which will help ensure every child in Papua New Guinea grows up healthy. Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) UNICEF East Asia and Pacific #Nutrition #ForEveryChild #PapuaNewGuinea