Ms O'Carrigan traveled to PNG in November last year as part of a partnership between the Australian College of Midwives, Rotary Club of Morialta in South Australia and PNG Midwifery Society.

"I was one of nine Australians who flew to the PNG for one week to take part in the leadership buddy program," she said.

"Over the next three years, I will be working on a project with my PNG buddy Daphnie Ariki who is based at Kimbe General Hospital," she said.

"The project that we plan to build is a waiting house for expecting mothers to have a place to sit or if they are experiencing early labour they are in a safe space rather than waiting outside near a tree."

Ms O'Carrigan said the coronavirus pandemic has halted the development process for the facility.

"I have been in regular contact with my buddy but it has become less as of late because of the lockdown and COVID-19 situation," she said.

"We were in the process of getting quotes of the waiting house but the pandemic has been a setback and we're not too sure when it will start up again."

Ms O'Carrigan said after reading the statistics about the mortality rate of newborns and mothers she wanted to help out.

"I was quite mortified to know that the Maternal Mortality Ratio currently cited by the National Department of Health is 773 per 100,000 births, making it one of the highest in the world," she said.

"Mothers are commonly found to have passed away from postpartum hemorrhage while babies are not being treated for hypothermia.

"In comparison, the rate in Australia in 2015 was 6 maternal deaths per 100,000 births."

According to Ms O'Carrigan, part of this program is to provide to improve maternal and newborn wellbeing in Papua New Guinea through training in leadership.

"This program is intended to strengthen, educate and provide clinical skills to PNG midwives," she said.

"We are very fortunate in Australia that we have a standarised curriculum and a governing body as health practitioners.

"As a neighbouring country across the ocean, the statistics show how lucky we are with our healthcare system and having accredited and trained midwives."

Ms O'Carrigan said her future career ambition is to develop programs to help with maternal and infant care.