Foré, Papua New Guinea

In 1965 a small midwifery clinic was built by Graham and Irene Baker in the Eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea in a grass hut on a bamboo mat floor, with only a torch and small lantern.

Appropriately named the Irene Baker Health Centre, the clinic is located in Foré, a town situated 6,000 feet above sea level in the rugged mountains, 35 miles from the nearest town. It was recently stated by the Health Authorities to be the best rural health centre in the Papua New Guinea Highlands.

To understand this health center’s impact, you must understand the prior conditions. Before its existence, babies were literally born in the ground and in unsanitary conditions. The infant mortality rate was very low, and in the case of twins, the village people always let the weaker ones die. Most people over the age of 40 have been birthed in the health center. The valley population has grown from 5,000 to well over 20,000.

The out-patients continue to grow and have now surpassed 1 million since 1965. Over 15,000 babies have been born.

A new wing was dedicated in 2015, consisting of 6 wards and 36 beds. Victory World Missions is proud to have witnessed the success of this facility and continues to underwrite it financially each year.