Back in October, working with the Perinatal Rescue Network (PRN), two midwives led trainings here in Minembwe focused on immediate post-birth care for newborns and the mothers (read about that here). The lasting impact of these trainings have already been lifesaving. Due to transportation issues, some of the supplies (including infant respirator equipment) that the midwives had brought remained “down-mountain” until three months later when everything finally arrived and we were able to deliver these items to the local hospital and university.
Along with one of the hospital’s doctors, Miles and I (Emilee), were able to bring these promised supplies and equipment to five different clinics around the region.
We also provided those clinic workers/midwives with a short refresher on the basics of the Helping Babies Breathe course using a training doll and other equipment provided by the midwives.
Our hope is to put on annual trainings with midwives from PRN, as well as develop an on-going refresher course to be used between the annual trainings.
I have been able to put this training and my other medical trainings to use at our local hospital as well. I’ve assisted with births and have experienced the struggle of having to make due with a lack of basic medical supplies. There are very few disposable medical gloves available so doctors and nurses conserve their gloves by not replacing them frequently. The alternative option is to not use gloves at all but there is no running water for them to wash their hands; this is in part because the hospital’s water pump is broken. Miles has evaluated this situation and said it would take approximately $600 (plus transportation) to fix the pump.
In the meantime, I carry my own gloves and hand sanitizer. Yes, hand sanitizer. With no running water, once I had to use the hand sanitizer to clean a suction bulb that I had just used during a cesarean birth fifteen minutes earlier. I cannot emphasize enough how critical clean, running water is in a hospital setting. One day, we’d like to see a better water system and proper solar power at the hospital and at the remote clinics as well.