Out of this alarming death-rate, Papua New Guinea accounts for the highest casualties at 90 percent.
An officer from the United Resource Services told participants at the Democratic Governance Program workshop funded by AusAID, that PNG children die at such an alarming rate due to poor health services in the country.
While that was going on, he disclosed that PNG leaders seemed to have so much money for luxurious overseas travels and investments.
The officer, who later asked The National for anonymity, also made shocking revelations in other sectors at the forum in Mt Hagen last Friday.
He said 43 percent of PNG’s population were illiterate while 61 percent lacked proper water supply in their homes.
“These ratings have placed PNG in 147th position out of 177 countries surveyed in the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Program,” he said.
He also revealed that 78,000 people were HIV positive, adding that the figure could be higher as some victims were undetected.
He said this was also alarming.
“I could not confirm but there are reports that 10,000 school-aged children are also roaming the streets of Port Moresby with no education,” he added.
He stressed that it was disgusting to have these ratings in such a resource-rich nation with a small population.
The officer also noted that PNG had huge natural resources but he was dismayed with the way the country was being managed by its leaders.
