The two key programs in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) will be delivered in Mossman Gorge, Hopevale, Coen and Aurukun (New Directions) as well as Napranum, Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw and Lockhart River (Making Tracks).
These consist of increased Maternal and Child Health nursing services as well as community based Maternal and Child Health Indigenous Health Workers in each of these communities. This will provide more intensive MCH programs rather than duplicate existing programs and have been designed to complement the pre-existing programs.
Staffing for these programs will be a mixture of Apunipima Cape York Health Council employees as well as contracted staff from the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Queensland Health.
The Baby Basket initiative has been commenced – providing antenatal and baby products, education and services to several communities across the Cape with plans for rolling out to more communities over the next few years - and is embedded in the Making Tracks - Maternal and Child Health program to ensure effectiveness. A further two communities have been proposed for expansion of MCH services next year.
The second component of this program is increased visiting Maternal and Child Health Nursing Services. Through a range of strategies, all Cape York communities we serve will have a minimum weekly access to antenatal midwifery and child health services.
Another initiative co-ordinated by Apunipima M&CH is a provision of a series of Baby Baskets containing a range of practical healthy products such as nappies, hygiene products and more. These are given to each newly pregnant woman when they access their local Midwife or Health Worker. Also, in 2009 Apunipima will rollout the Chalali Doula Program to some Cape York communities. This program provides traditional cultural support for pregnant women and mums, through respected women in the community.