This incredible doctor is saving babies and mothers lives in remote PNG | Foreign Correspondent
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- Опубліковано 3 лис 2019
- Carpenter Barry Kirby’s life turned upside down when he chanced upon a young woman dying on a bush road. The Australian tradie became a doctor with a mission: saving women’s lives in the wilds of Papua New Guinea. Foreign Correspondent joins him on his island rounds.
The headlights picked up a dark shape on the edge of the track. Barry Kirby slammed his car into reverse and discovered a young woman, dangerously ill.
“She sort of just looked at me and smiled. She had the most beautiful smile” - Barry Kirby
The hospital couldn’t help. By morning the woman was dead. It was 25 years ago, but Kirby still chokes up at the memory of the fleeting encounter that transformed his life.
Kirby was 40. He tossed in his job as a freewheeling carpenter in the PNG highlands and spent the next decade studying to become a doctor. His quest now is to save the lives of women in the remotest parts of PNG, one of the most dangerous places in the world for women to give birth. In PNG the lifetime risk of dying in childbirth is about one in 30; in Australia it’s one in 10,000.
“Congratulations mama, baby girl!” - Kirby to young mother Vinka, as her baby Miriam makes a safe arrival
Correspondent Liam Cochrane joins Kirby on his rounds through the spectacular D’Entrecasteaux Islands in easternmost PNG. It’s an adventure by boat and foot to reach villages that haven’t seen white people - or “dim dim” - in years.
“So what we’re gonna do now is get her on a stretcher down to our boat, get across the bay and get her to the hospital, stabilize her and see how we go from there” - Kirby with an emergency case
Barry Kirby and his team hop between islands handling emergencies and routine births. They train up locals in the basics of midwifery. They distribute hundreds of life saving “baby bundles”, a collection of basics like nappies, soap and baby clothes. It’s a brilliantly simple way of enticing expectant mothers to trek to the relative safety of health clinics and away from the perils of giving birth in the bush.
“I’m just a real doc. It’s my job to help these mothers out, so you do whatever that takes” - Barry Kirby
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I know it can be dangerous, but I grew up on an island of PNG and it was incredible. I have the fondest memories. We left when I was 15 and I constantly miss it. One of the most beautiful places in the world.
I worked as a midwife in PNG in the mid to late 60's...NZ trained, I was inspired to travel and work there after hearing about the disease KURU and the country's struggle to save infected mothers and babies. Remote and incredibly beautiful PNG has left an indelible mark on me..... and Barry Kirby's passion for improving life for these isolated peoples shows great courage and faith which must be applauded
Barry Kirby is a UPNG medical school graduate. We Graduated together in 2001. Well done Barry and thank you mate👍
Thank God for people like this, who leave their comfortable homes and developed countries to help those in need.
Thank U doctor, God bless you.....love from my country 🇹🇱🇹🇱🇹🇱🇹🇱🇹🇱 East-Timor 👍👍👍
Barry is such a stoic and smart man, an absolute role model. What an incredible story.
Baby doc is the BEST through it all. ❤🤗
Wonderful story!! What a courage and dedication, he probably fell in love with that abandoned woman..Best doctor ever !!
wonderful work Barry,..Thank you.
What a great story. How could I help.
Wow, that’s amazing!!!
incredible
That first mom at 7:20 popped out the baby like it was a walk in the park, didn't even make a single sound... meanwhile in first world countries, women be screaming off the top of their lungs, echoing the entire hallway of the maternity ward
3k views?
We should set up a gold mine too
He investigated the dead woman and heard the problem but weren't there any tips he could give them?. I mean they propably not always can send the women away to give birth let alone in time. I mean I don't know much about childbirth. Maybe there is really nothing u can do with this placentaproblem other than emergancy operation
epsteincoverup.
I'm feeling queasy today and when I saw that kids 10:15ish green ass boogers smooshed all over his face I gagged. C'mon. That wasn't a shot for sympathy u guys could've cut that out. 🤮